The Long Road to Happiness
by Reven Eid
Summary: JS eventually just a lot of stuff in between
1. Snippets in Time

Snippets in Time

"_Hoggle! Wake-up Hoggle! I need you I have great news!" _Sarah had run home from school after her final grades had been posted. No one was home so there were no worries about Karen, her dad or Toby walking in to ask her who she was talking to. "_Hoggle, I know you can hear me and the sooner you come the sooner you can go back to sleep._" Hoggle's tired face appeared on Sarah's mirror and he made the most comical creature. He was wearing the nightcap and gown Sarah had given him for Christmas just five months ago. He swore he would never wear it but she had known better and she had just been proven right. "_Why Hoggle what nice gown you are wearing._" Hoggle tried not to blush but just smiled sheepishly as he shuffled his feet, "_Now what is this so urgent you had to wake me?!?" _ Sarah smiled and sat in front of her vanity, "_Hoggle, I passed all my exams! In just a couple of weeks I will be done with high school and I can move on to college, isn't that great!_" Hoggle stifled a yawn as he nodded yes to her question, "_I'll let you get back to sleep and I won't be able to talk to you for a month or so because I'll be packing to move to school and making loads of arrangements for that but I wanted to let you know."_ Hoggle placed his palm against Sarah's mirror and she mimicked his action, "_Thank you Hoggle tell everyone for me and I will get back to you soon but if I don't call you or Sir Didymus or Ludo in one hundred moon cycles come find me okay._" Hoggle nodded and Sarah closed her eyes, when she opened them again Hoggle was gone and she was staring at her own reflection.

When Sarah had returned from her adventures in the Underground just two years ago she had made sure to keep in touch with everyone, well almost everyone. She never spoke of him or said his name out loud when she was awake. She never asked Ludo or Sir Didymus about him but Hoggle and her had devised a code so that she knew what he was doing even though they never uttered his name. She had tried not to think about him when she was awake and made sure to keep herself busy enough so that her mind wouldn't wander to him. Her friends and teachers had noticed a change in her in the weeks that had followed her adventures. She was more focused and determined to get her high school experience done with. In addition, the administration had been surprised when Sarah had walked into school one day with her father in tow to ensure that her desire to add college level courses to her already busy schedule were met. Sarah had not told anyone why she was being so aggressive with her education but when she approached the school counselors for assistance with her college applications the rumor mill went into overdrive. By the next day everyone was aware that Sarah had applied to Harvard, Yale, Princeton and USC business and theatre programs. Even with her college level courses and being president of the Debate and Business Clubs, Sarah had not stopped being a dreamer and had become the stage manager for the school's last four productions. Sarah had not stopped caring for Toby and she had talked with Karen and her dad a couple of weeks after the events of the Underground to make them aware that she wouldn't be there for them but for Toby. That had been an awkward conversation to say the least.

"Dad, Karen can I talk to you?" Sarah had not eaten dinner with the family and had stayed in her room to think. Toby was in his crib asleep and Sarah was standing outside her parent's door waiting for them to join her. They were in their nightclothes and Sarah talked softly so as not to disturb Toby. They came out and closed the door behind them, "Karen a couple of weeks ago you wanted to know what I was doing so I'm telling you now. I will not be able to baby sit Toby from today forward. I am joining several clubs at school so I won't be home until almost seven or even eight o'clock at night." Karen pursed her lips and raised her eyebrow in annoyance but before she could speak, "Honey, are you sure that's healthy you don't want to get yourself sick with to much running around." Sarah smiled at her father's concern but glanced in Karen's direction once more, "Karen. Once I know my schedule better I will let you know what days I can help you but right now for certain Monday thru Thursday nights, Saturday mornings and afternoons I won't be able to assist you at all." Karen's scowl had faded once she realized that Sarah would be available Friday and Saturday nights to help with Toby. "That's fair so every Friday and Saturday you will be able to help us?" Sarah had to face her feet as she softly chuckled at Karen's audacity, "No Karen I will be able to help you every other Friday and Saturday night. The same way I am telling you my plans I would like the same from you. If you have a work dinner or event that you have to go to or you simply want to go out to a movie I will need to know a couple of weeks in advance to make sure my schedule is open and not occupied by last minute club events." "Don't worry sweetie we will make sure to tell you." Sarah hugged her dad and whispered goodnight to Karen.

It's not to say that Sarah and Karen didn't have issues still. There were times when Karen would slip out of the house with out Sarah noticing on Saturday mornings when her dad wasn't home either and Sarah had had no choice but to take Toby with her to her school events. She had missed a couple of events at the beginning due to Karen's silliness and had paid the consequences when the events she had planned had failed miserably in producing funds for the clubs. It had been awkward at first seeing a baby with all the teenagers and sales had been slow but Sarah had asked the Home Economics department to sew a couple of Toby's t-shirts with the words BabyBrother, School Mascot and MBA in Training and since then things had run more smoothly. At first, the club sponsors had not approved of Toby's presence and Sarah had had no desire to voice her unhappiness about Karen's behavior to anyone but when they realized that in fact it did not deter from the event, Sarah's commitment to the club and that the other club members seemed more friendly and responsible when Toby was around they allowed it. And so the last two years of Sarah's school year flew by and now she was graduating in a few short weeks.

Summer Fun ???

Sarah had finished packing what she had hoped would be the last of her boxes. Sarah had hoped that her grades, interview and letters of recommendation would have been enough to allow her acceptance to Harvard but it had not been enough. That was okay her second and third choice had come thru but with USC offering a scholarship for both her drama and business she had chosen USC. It was clear on the other side of the country but a change in scenery may be just the ticket to help her move on from her past. The movers were scheduled to come and take her few belongings to USC in two days and move in day was just a day away. Sarah and her dad would be flying out to USC tomorrow morning and besides her immediate needs she had ensured that one special box came with her on the plane.

A year after her Underground experience Sarah had been rearranging her room and in the process she had broken the mirror on her dresser. She had been moving to try and decide where it would look best in her room and in her haste she had bumped the dresser to hard causing the frame to rock violently and breaking the boards that held the mirror in place. Once the mirror hit the floor it broke. Her father had offered to buy her a new dresser but Sarah had insisted on simply replacing her mirror and the boards so vehemtly that her father finally agreed to pay for only the repair. It had taken several weeks to get the right sized mirror for her dresser and when it had been replaced Hoggle had been beside himself with worry. When Sarah contacted him the night the mirror was replaced they realized that without the original mirror Hoggle couldn't come thru. Sarah had kept the larger pieces of the original mirror and they had tried to see if Hoggle could come thru but again the pieces were to small so only his hand came thru and only Sir Didymus who was the smallest of her three friends could come thru the old mirror pieces.

So Sarah had taken the larger pieces to school and had the wood shop students build several sturdy wall mirror frames for her original mirror. She had a small piece placed in a locket that now that she was going to college she would wear around her neck at all times so she could show Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ludo their new surroundings. She was sure they would be pleasantly surprised with the California sun and especially the ocean. "_Ready to go?"_ Sarah was pulled from her reverie by her father's question. They were all going to dinner as a family for the last time this summer until she returned for Thanksgiving break.

Lots of Firsts

It had taken Sarah a couple of weeks before she was able to call upon Hoggle, Ludo or Sir Didymus. She was sitting outside the library after researching her first paper and was headed back to her dorm room when she saw the full moon above. The night was so clear she knew that her friends had never seen such a night and she called upon them in her locket. _"Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, I need you_." She could see her friend's small figures in her locket and whispered hello to them. "_Sarah where's have you been, I need to talk to you."_ Sarah was surprised by Hoggle's response, "_Sorry these last few weeks have been real busy but I called you because I wanted to show you three something amazing."_ Sarah removed her locket from around her neck and laid it on the ground. She moved back so that the sky wouldn't be obscured by her shadow and she heard her friend's gasps. She waited a few moments then returned to pick-up her locket. _"Did you like the view?"_ Ludo answered with nice and Sir Didymus began to recite a long poem to the beauty of the night the moon and the stars. Sarah then remembered Hoggle's statement, _"Ludo Sir Didymus can I talk to Hoggle alone, please?_" Ludo and Sir Didymus whispered their goodbyes to Sarah and it was her and Hoggle, "_What's going on?_" She could see Hoggle fretting with his hands and sit on a rock behind him, _"He is having friends at the castle."_ Sarah sat down as well. She knew who Hoggle was referring to. _"That's good Hoggle he needs to socialize do his kingly duties and what not."_ Hoggle scratched his ear and right cheek before crossing his arms, "_I don'ts like it."_ Sarah didn't know what to say to Hoggle but he didn't wait for her response and disappeared back into the mirror.

It would be weeks later that Sarah called upon her friends again and this time it was a bright sunny California day. The drama club had wrangled the van from the athletics department for some much needed relax time and the entire cast and crew had driven out to the beach. Sarah had walked until she found a spot secluded enough to call her friends upon. _"Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, I need you_." As usual they came at her bidding and were amazed at the ocean. They had heard of such a thing but had never witnessed one. Sir Didymus again went into a litany of versus of the oceans beauty and Ludo called it pretty. Hoggle was strangely quite so Sarah cut her visit short and sat down to speak with him, "_Hoggle what's wrong now."_ Hoggle twisted in his seat wondering how to tell Sarah what he was going to say, "_He is going away Sarah."_ Sarah tried to hide the shock and hurt from her face, "_Where?"_ Hoggle proceeded to tell Sarah how in the last few months his guest's had dwindled 'till there was only one left. A woman named Auralia. She was an elf from a distant land and she had won favor with the king. The king had just yesterday agreed to go back with her to her kingdom for a visit, a long visit and he didn't know when he would be returning but that he, Sir Didymus and Ludo were to protect the Labyrinth in his absence. He then proceeded to tell Sarah the conversation,

Hoggle was shuffling his feet at the gates of his castle. He didn't know why he had been requested but he couldn't deny him. He had felt Sarah's call but she couldn't answer her now, he would explain later.

"Hoggle." Hoggle turned to the king and lowered his eyes to his feet. "Walk with me." "I know that you sometimes have conversations." Hoggle stopped in his tracks, "Walk with me Hogsbreath this is important." Hoggle ran as best he could and kept his pace as best as he could next to the king. His Highness proceeded to a bench in his gardens and sat looking towards the Labyrinth. "_If you see her, tell her…tell her that you have never seen me better. Tell her that there is someone new in my life that has enchanted me. That the days have simply gone by and I had barely even noticed. That she no longer occupies my thoughts and that our encounter is all but forgotten. Tell her I am well, that I've never been better actually. That I am not here pinning away for her. That I am actually thankful to her for because of her I am where I am now."_ His highness then stood and began to walk back to the castle but stopped and turned to him instead, _"Tell her instead that you don't see me anymore. That I've gone on a trip to the countryside and that I don't know when I will return. That I never did and never will wait for her call and that I never did or shall awaken in the middle of the night remembering her, that I am cured. "_ With that he proceeded to disappear from his sight.

Long Trips in the Countryside

And so the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months and before Sarah, Hoggle, Sir Didymus or Ludo noticed it was Christmas break and Sarah was headed home for her two-week holiday. She had more time off from school but she was needed back two weeks early for the drama's departments spring show. Sarah sat in her dorm room placing the last pieces into her bag. She was going home for two weeks and had decided to leave all her belongings in her dorm room. She had given her friends their presents early because she knew that once she was home she wouldn't be able to talk to them because her time would be sent with her family and local friends. Besides with him still gone Didymus, Ludo and Hoggle had their hands full with the goblins and the running of the Labyrinth. From what Sarah had learned and gathered from their conversations it seemed that no one knew that his highness had gone on a walk about the countryside and so Ludo, Didymus and Hoggle had made all kinds of excuses for him when guests came calling. There had been one guest that Ludo had been very suspicious about recently. An ogre from the southern realms. Ludo had caught small ogres trespassing or trying to pass by as goblins in the Labyrinth. While the trespassers had been tossed in the dungeons Hoggle was beginning to worry that they suspected his highness wasn't around. Sir Didymus had begun to even prepare the soldiers for war but Hoggle didn't think it would come to that. Sarah had tried to calm Hoggle's concerns as well but Ludo had begun to tell Sarah of his own fears and this giant was perceptive to his surroundings. "Sawah. Ground busy. Noise." Ludo would then point south where at times even in the distance Sarah could see big billowing clouds of smoke, like those from a giant fire or factory. They had all agreed to wait for the a couple of weeks and if Hoggle and Ludo still felt uncomfortable they were going to start calling his highness back.


	2. Step 1 of 3: Madness

Winter break hadn't turned out to be what Sarah had hoped, much less expected. The weather in Massachusetts had been quite uncooperative so Sarah had spent most of her time indoors, she either went to or her friends came over for a few hours each day. Up to a certain point she couldn't wait to get back to California where the only threat was an earthquake. She was now listening to the radio and try as she might she just couldn't like the newest singing sensation. Sarah had to laugh she sat at her vanity and stared at her reflection. She felt so old in her skin but she was only eighteen and in several months she would be nineteen but she felt beyond that age.

She tried not to think of him. He was somewhere in his world happy, traveling; traveling with some woman that wasn't her. She needed to stop these types of ides. She had been fifteen when they met and all he had wanted was, "_What did you really want?"_ Even after all these years and the parade of boys who tried to get her attention she was always aloof to their advances, _"I'll paint you mornings of gold. I'll spin you Valentine evenings."_ Sarah sat up straight in bed. She wasn't going to do this again. She had gone to prom just a short six months ago stag because for some inexplicable reason she couldn't bring herself to accept anyone. She had enjoyed her evening dancing with her friends from the drama and business clubs but she had gone alone and if she was brutally honest with herself she was still alone. Alone for almost five years and she needed to stop that, "_I'm going to the mall then a movie I'll be back later."_

Sarah ran out of the house as fast as her feet could carry her. She needed to get out; she was suffocating with the memories of that night but as always about him. She may not be returning home for spring or summer break. These memories needed to be let go once and for all and as her friend Maria back in California kept telling her, there's nothing like a new memory to forget an old memory.

Sarah walked around the music store hoping to have something attract her attention. So far this holiday season all there had been for her to listen to was sappy love songs and she needed some more excitement than that. Something that would entertain her mind so she didn't have to think about anyone or anything. Speaking of anything, Hoggle had not contacted her in several days.

Sarah walked to the nearest women bathrooms and locked herself in the last stall. Unconventional place but she had a nagging feeling that she needed to do this now because later may be too late. "Hoggle. Hoggle. Hoggle!" Sarah looked into her locket hoping for the mist to appear just like before being the precursor to Hoggle's appearance.

Sarah rushed out of the stall and hailed a cab to take her back home. She had taken the bus instead of driven needing the distraction but now she had to rush home to call on Hoggle and her friends thru her larger mirror.

The feeling of desperation only grew as she ran out of the cab and up the stairs. Nobody was home so she ran even faster into her room and to the front of the mirror began to call upon everyone she could think off. After was seemed an eternity but was only a couple of minutes Hoggle's face finally appeared, "Sarah we needs you here. We can't reach Jareth and we just got a notice from the southern kingdom to surrender or they plan to march upon the Labyrinth kingdom in two days time." Sarah fell back unto her chair. In her heart she had hoped that Ludo's concerns we simply unfounded and that Didymus preparations were just silly notions but now. Now it was coming true and she had no clue what to do but something she had to do. She couldn't let her friends down wherever Jareth happened to be that was his problem now her friends and all those that lived within the Labyrinth needed help. "Hoggle I will be there tonight. It is going to be a full moon in just four hours time and I've got a plan to get there but I'm also going to need your help." Hoggle nodded furiously as Sarah laid out her plan to him; all the while hoping furiously that it would work out.

Sarah ran into her father's room to take his emergency cash and credit cards and then called the nearest rental facility to find out if they had a moving van available. She flew downstairs and grabbed the phone book and headed back to her room to contact the local army surplus store to find out at what time the closed. She then called her friend Tammy who worked for the parks and recreations department concerning the opening hours of the local lake park. After that she bagged some emergency clothes and put on her snow boots most comfortable jeans and the best sweater and winter jacket. She was headed to do something crazy and she needed to make sure she was dressed for it. Lastly she looked at her room one more time and left a note for her family asking them for their forgiveness for what she was about to do. She left it hidden amongst her books she that they wouldn't find it for at least a couple of days to ensure that she had a good several days start to her crazy plan. In her emergency bag she had placed her powder and hoped that what she had only dreamed about would come true.

At the rental facility it helped for once to have the face of an angel because any other way they wouldn't release the car to a minor. She then drove to the surplus store and headed to the back so they could load up her purchases. Mikey remembered her from her days in the high school drama club so the swallowed the story whole about a special project she was helping them with. Sarah left the store and headed to the abandoned houses located near the park to talk to Hoggle and confirm that he was doing his part of her plan.

Hoggle had been ordering the goblins to first scrub the throne room clean and refill the pool with clean water. Then he sent them out to the courtyard and had them clear out all the dirt from the lake as well. Now he just stood by the window in the throne room to see in which area Sarah would surface. This was a risky business and they had never tried to actually transport Sarah since that day so long ago but desperate times called for desperate measures. Unable to reach Jareth Hoggle felt his only choice was to plead to Sarah for her help now they only hoped that the rumors and legends they heard would prove true tonight because if they didn't he didn't know what to try.

Sarah closed her eyes and sent a fervent plea up above to whoever was listening to beg for their guidance and help. What she was about to do was either suicide and if it wasn't it was still suicide, "Hoggle, is everything ready at that end?" Hoggle appeared in her mirror and would've spoken his protests again but kept them to himself instead and simply nodded. Sarah started the van and headed straight into the park. According to Tammy the police don't start their rounds until one am so she had one hour but she would either be dead or gone by that point and she was hoping for the latter. Sarah checked the moons progress and as she neared the lake confirmed that it was right above the lake. The lake was dark and so still it looked like the perfect mirror. Sarah left the van running but turned off the lights to not bring unwanted attention to herself as she stepped out and towards the surface of the luck. Sarah took a calming breath and began to sing a song she never had try so hard to forget and for that matter not sing to loudly. She took out the shattered and grinned pieces of her mirror from within her jacket folds and began pouring them into the lake. As they began to float or sink into the water she began to sing louder and call upon her friends in the Labyrinth intermittently between the song lyrics. Sarah didn't know when she began to cry but she felt the first tear land on her hand, she was growing scared that her last ditch effort to help her friends might be in vain and she couldn't stand that. She closed her eyes and poured all her heart and thoughts into the lyrics and was shaken from her reverie and she heard a giggle to her right. She didn't stop singing but opened her eyes and had to smile as she saw a little gobbling skitter towards the van.

Hoggle had been wringing his hands as he waited for Sarah. He was growing increasingly worried that their attempt would be for not and no one would be able to help them all in this situation. Then Skrit fell into the pool in the throne room and appeared by Sarah. Hoggle ran to the pool and ordered ten more strong goblins in so they could carry Sarah's belongings thru.

It didn't take the goblins long to empty the van of its contents and now was going to be the real test. Sarah's emergency bag had already gone thru but now Sarah was going to cross into the Labyrinth with little hope of returning. Skrit came back and he jumped onto Sarah's waiting arms and together they jumped into the frigid lake water.

Sarah had spent every minute since her arrival planning a response to the notice from the southern kingdom. She first needed to find out who all was affected by this notice and begin forming alliances and if there were any in place they needed to be called upon to ensure their presence in two days time.

Much to Sarah's annoyance but true to the Goblin King's form he had never formed alliances. He had thought himself invulnerable and as such had never bothered to form any kind of peace treaties with his neighbors and now this was costing Sarah. The only good thing she had found out so far was that all those who lived in the Labyrinth and the Goblin King's kingdom had nowhere else to go. They had all been refugees at one time or another and as such the Goblin King's kingdom had been the only one to offer safe sanctuary. She would use this to either make them see how assisting in this campaign was for their benefit and if it came down to it offer what she needed in order to ensure their cooperation.

"Hoggle you know that we need them. No one else is small enough to get through and as such get the information we need." Hoggle sat on the throne room steps next to Sarah and huffed his displeasure at Sarah's first step of the plan. True he had called her and agreed to whatever she asked but what she was asking was too much. He finally gave a heavy sigh and waved at the goblins by the door to let the fairies into the throne room. Upon Sarah's arrival they had also brought up Jareth's battle armor and had the goblins reproduce a smaller one for Sarah. Sarah kept the helmet down and spoke with the strongest voice she could muster. She wasn't impersonating the king since her armor was silver and gold and Jareth's had been black and red. Hoggle said it was to convey fear and Sarah thought it best to not convey such a feeling to her guests but that of one of peace and strength.

"Hello Marita. Hoggle tells me that you and your sisters were the appointed fairy representatives." Marita's sisters nodded while Marita just glared daggers at Hoggle. When the summons had come for the fairies to send their representatives to see the king Marita and her sisters were chosen because they had been the one's to survive the longest from Hoggle's many attempts to annihilate the fairies. The summons came with a clause though. It had warned the fairies that whomever they choose would speak for all the fairies and as such any decisions made would be life honored by the labyrinth and the fairies and all those who opposed best leave now. The fairies discussed the matter quickly and had no choice but to agree to the summons. All the fairies present wrote their name upon the summons and bound themselves and all their family, past and future relations, to the agreement.

"Marita I will not lie to you. War is upon our doorstep and all those creatures, big or small, which inhabit the Labyrinth, will have to do their part to defend it." Marita's sister almost fell mid-flight from the shock of the words. They had heard rumblings from the other animals but since they were so busy having fun they paid no heed. They looked back towards the door and noticed it had been closed behind them once they had entered and all the windows had been closed and heavy curtains placed over them. The only light that was shining in the throne room was the light from candles in the chandelier above and on the stands surrounding the throne room. Sarah continued to direct her message to Marita, "You will be needed to fly into the enemy camp."

Marita was about to protest but Sarah held her hand up. "You will take this locket with you and ensure that it is open at all times facing the camp. Inside is a special mirror that will allow me to see into the camp but at all costs this must come back to me." Marita's face grew redder by the second, "Wait. You want us to risk our lives for what?" "Sarah sat upon the throne, "In turn Hoggle will no longer make any attempts upon your lives or those of any fairy and all other creatures that dwell within the outer wall shall be relocated. In essence, Marita you and the rest of the fairies will have a kingdom with in a kingdom with one exception, the Goblin King shall forever be your ruler and call upon you as he wishes."

"Marita, we have to face the fact that either all of us are going to fight together against our common enemy or if we are going to live together we have to agree." Marita and her sisters conversed in hushed tones with each other. The Goblin King was invulnerable and if he was doing this then things must be terrible. Could they afford to be on his side if he lost but what if he won? If they threw their lot with the king and he won they would have their own land to call their own. The entire outer wall for them to do as they wished and never have to worry about Hoggle; Marita would dance a happy dance later now she had made up her mind along with her sisters. Marita turned to Sarah and nodded her head in agreement. Sarah had Skrit bring forth the first agreement and bound Marita and the fairies to it. Sarah then handed the locket to Marita and led them to the window facing the southern kingdom. "You will need to fly towards their camp and listen and show me thru the mirror all that you come across." Marita nodded her understanding and along with her sisters flew towards their fate.

Sarah walked back to the throne and waved the next group in. The first group had agreed to her plan and had signed the agreement wholeheartedly without reading the fine print. She had no intention of being deceitful but she had no choice. The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving and right now she needed to make sure that the rest of the Labyrinth citizens agreed just as wholeheartedly like the fairies before it was too late. 

By the time Sarah's first night in the Labyrinth fell she had all the dwellers in the Labyrinth bound to her plan. Some had been difficult to convince others were willing to be the first line of defense. The Stallions, as Sarah called them because she couldn't pronounce their names, would be her greatest advantage. As Sarah lay in her makeshift bed in the throne room she couldn't help but think of their story. After they had left Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus had told her about how the Stallions once used to roam the lands further south than the southern kingdom but slowly their numbers began to dwindle due to wild hunts performed by the other kingdoms.

The other kingdoms sought to have the Stallions as their pets. Their manes and tails were fire and their coats such a rich red brown that when they felt strong emotions their entire being was consumed by an untouchable fire, they were a desired possession. What their captors didn't count on was when a Stallion was made captive their essence died and as such the Stallion died as well. Instead of stopping the hunts it only increased them and so the few remaining Stallions fled from their home and sought refuge. They had tried several kingdoms but when they realized that they were being taken advantage off and a member died they took flight once more. Jareth had opened his northern borders to them and allowed them to dwell uninhibited. There were tall unclimbable mountains to the north of his kingdom and he stood between whatever possible enemy may try to take them and so their numbers grew slowly in their new home. Now though they longed for their old home and wished to return. Sarah had promised them more land within the kingdom and if they were to win their old lands would be returned to them without any problems and to ensure their safety she would send Ludo with them so that he could speak to the rocks so that he could help them create their own unclimable mountains in their old lands.

While the Stallions had no true voice they did understand Sarah when she spoke. Their leader Paza had bowed and signed Sarah's agreement with a hoof print. The Stallions would make a fine first line of defense but she had better plans for them. Now she rested for a few hours before the deadline. Outside she could hear the goblins working on her ideas to ensure the safety of the Labyrinth.


	3. Step 2 of 3: Stir in Chaos

Please re-read the last four paragraphs of chapter 2; i've changed some things so that the next chapters can be understood.~Thank you.

Sarah had brought several amenities with her in hopes that the Labyrinth would not wreak havoc on her battery operated electronic items. Her alarm/cd/radio was her most prized possession and when it signaled for her to awake she felt like just three hours of sleep would not be enough to get her thru what was about to come.

She had no choice. Many things in the days to come would have to be enough or everyone would suffer because of her failure, where was Jareth. Sarah headed to the window to call upon Hoggle to ensure that everything was coming along as planned.

"Sarah, we's have a problem." Sarah heaved a heavy sigh and sat on the throne room steps, "Better tell me all the problems first before we make the final preparations." Hoggle sat next to Sarah and proceeded to tell her how the dungeons were now absolutely full with members from the enemy camp. Apparently while Sarah and Hoggle were having meetings with the Labyrinth inhabitants Sir Didymus and Ludo had found and captured more trespassers. Didymus was out patrolling again and Ludo was resting but the dungeon was now full.

"Hoggle, let Ludo rest for a bit longer but call upon Paza, I'm going to need his help first." Sarah headed towards the closet that was to the right side of the throne and began to change into her armor. Sarah had turned the information of full dungeons over in her mind repeatedly and the only logical conclusion was that at an appointed time the prisoners would mount an escape from the dungeon and overrun the castle from the inside while the kingdom battled the oncoming invaders. Well they were in for a rude surprise because she was not going to let this happen.

Hoggle knocked on the throne room doors before entering to ensure Sarah was ready. Once he received his response he opened the doors so Paza could enter. "Paza. I call upon you and your brethren first because of problem that has arisen in my plans." Paza sat upon the floor in front of Sarah and tilted his head as he tossed his head asking her to continue. "The dungeons are full of enemy soldiers we have taken captive because they were trespassing on Labyrinth land but I need them out of the castle so that they don't try to escape when the battle begins." Paza huffed his nostrils and rose. He walked away from Sarah and headed towards the window. Hoggle and Sarah were confused by his actions and shrugged their shoulders. "Paza I know you understand what I am telling you so far but do you know what I am going to ask you next." Paza kept staring out the window before he responded with a true voice. "If we are going into battle together we best be honest with each other." Sarah stood from her seat and Hoggle ran to stand before Sarah with his scabbard pulled, "We've been tricked." "My brethren and I have never had a need to inform anyone that we are able to speak. For generations we have lived in peace in our lands but when we began to be hunted we did not get the chance to voice our objections. We were being slaughtered in vast numbers and fleeing was our only chance of survival. By the time we came across the Labyrinth we trusted no one and so we never informed its king that we could speak. But now you, a woman who is not only not native to this kingdom but to this existence has chosen to do everything within her to ensure the safety of so many we have made a choice. We will not only assist you with this fight but we will be part of this fight." Paza walked away from the window towards Sarah, "All that we ask is to see your true face." Hoggle kept whispering no and pushing Sarah back but Sarah stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Hoggle I must." Sarah lifted the helmet of her face and showed Paza here true self. "My brethren and I have one collective mind. What anyone of us sees or experiences it is shared by all. By showing me who you are and sharing with me what your plans are they are all aware and we will follow your lead." Sarah stumbled back and accidently sat upon Jareth's throne but she was too overwhelmed by the possibilities to care. This, this was working out so much better than she could ever had hoped for with ideas forming in her mind about how the battle would go and where she could send and divide her forces.

"Sarah?" Sarah looked up from her reverie and smiled at Hoggle, "Hoggle bring me the maps and tell the house goblins that Paza and his brethren are to be trusted implicitly." Hoggle was about to protest but when he saw the light in Sarah's eyes he rushed to do her bidding. What had been at some point a battle for simple survival had now turned into a war that they could now win and most importantly ensure that everyone in the Labyrinth would be safe.

Hoggle ordered the nearest goblins to drag the maps and the table back into the throne room and placed next to the mirror pool. So far the fairies had not communicated with Sarah but they were soon due and best not to obstruct Sarah's view of what they came across at the enemy camp.

Sarah removed her gloves and belt from her armor and headed towards the table and beckoned for Paza to follow her. "As you can see this is a crude map of what the Labyrinth looks like. To the north are the mountains. We don't anticipate an attack from that end but just in case I dispatched five sets of Fire Gangs to monitor the situation. I sent them with a special communication device so that I could see and hear what is happening with them and since I haven't seen anything in the pool I am think that that border is okay. That still leaves me with about fifteen more sets of them. They have all moved to the center of the forest so that I can locate and dispatch them easily to wherever I may need them. My plan is now to send three sets to the east and three sets to the west. The six sets will go with me to the front of the battle field and the remaining sets will go into your lands Paza." Paza looked at sorry with a questioning glare. "Paza you have two pools of water in your valley that provides fresh drinkable water for you and your brethren. My plan is to have Ludo call upon the rocks and drain one of the pools. I will place all the prisoners in the empty pool until this battle is over at which time I will then return them to their lands with stipulations of course. I will ensure that this pool is deep enough to ensure that they are unable to climb out and that the walls are jagged enough to prevent escape.

"Who will watch the prisoners?" "That is where the remaining Fire gangs come into play. Very few inhabitants have come across something like them and when I tell them that they can have a party but that they can only do it around the pit so that they can be seen by the prisoners it will be enough to not only keep the prisoners watched but the prisoners will be too scared to attempt anything." Paza was about to ask but Sarah saw his perplexed look and smiled in response, "Fire Gangs love party's but a very special quality they possess is that they can detach and reattach their body parts. With the heat and the wild party the Fire Gangs tend to throw the prisoners will think that they are in an oubliette suffering from nightmares. Nightmares without an end." Paza huffed, "I've had to run for my life but what you are suggesting is torture. I don't know if I can be a part of it." Sarah was flabbergasted by his response. Of all the creatures she would think that Paza and his brethren would be the first to agree after all the suffering that had endured at the hands of those around them. "You may not agree with my methods but answer me this, what do you think they would do to you if we gave them a chance. I am not asking you to do much less or more than what is needed in order to ensure the survival of all those who dwell here." Paza paused to collect his thoughts and nodded his head, "We are sorry we will do as you order."

Sarah knew things would not always run smoothly but as long as all her hurdles were this small then this engagement would be brief. "Hoggle order the several goblins outside to remove the water from the moon fountain outside and bring it in here cased in barrels. Then I want them to take the fountain apart and take the stones to the Bog of Eternal Stench." Hoggle hesitated to follow Sarah's orders he still didn't feel comfortable leaving her with the Stallions leader and voiced his concern, "Sarah are's you sure?" Sarah smiled kindly at Hoggle's show of concern and nodded, "Yes. On your way out wake up Ludo and send him in here. His part is about to begin." As Hoggle walked out of the room Sarah walked back to the throne and put on her helmet and sword. "Paza how many of your brethren are on the premises?" "There are only five of us, why?"

Sarah waited for Ludo to enter before he answered Paza, "Ludo are you rested?" Ludo sat by the throne room doors, "Ludo tired. Ludo sleep." Ludo was about to lay his head back against the door but Sarah rushed to his side as best she could in the armor. "Ludo. Please listen to me I need you to help me and I promise you tomorrow morning you can sleep and rest all you want, I promise but right now. Right this moment and for several more I need you, please." Ludo turned to Sarah and gave her his happiest and simplest smile, Sarah needed him and Sarah promised him not only that she would let him rest but to make all the noise and confusion go away. Ludo nodded and stood to follow Sarah where ever she wanted him to go. Sarah smiled and put on her helmet as she turned to Paza.

"Paza inform the collective that they are about to get a lot of noise. To go to the west pool and whatever they hear and see to not get spooked I am going to have Ludo create the pit." Sarah took Ludo's hand and led him to the north balcony so he could call upon the rocks so they could move and ensure that the water at the east side pool would fall into a special cave and as such be brought back up again after today's events. The noise that emanated from Ludo's body was such a strong and loud bellow that Sarah was afraid she was going to go deaf. She covered her ears with her hands and stepped back from Ludo while the rocks did his bidding. When Ludo stopped he turned to Sarah and nodded, "Water safe." "Thank you Ludo. Now to the basement."

As Sarah was walking out the throne room with Ludo beside her and Paza following the goblins were rolling in the barrels of water. Sarah saw Skrit among the goblins and pulled him aside, "Skrit tell Hoggle to come to the dungeons and bring with him the archers like him and I discussed." Skrit nodded and began running to find Hoggle outside.

Upon reaching the dungeons Sarah could now see why everyone was so concerned, the cells were overflowing with trespassers. Sarah made sure that Ludo had an unobstructed view of the northern low level unfinished corridor. "Ludo, down there is where I want you to tell the rocks to make the tunnel to reach the now empty pool." This time Ludo's request to the rocks was a low warble. Ludo would be calling upon so many rocks and from deep within the ground.

Sarah turned when he heard Hoggle enter and everyone was mesmerized as the unfinished corridor began to take shape of a very dark and gloomy tunnel. Hoggle gave the cell keys to Skrit and he ran to open the cell closest to the now forming northern corridor. The cells opened from above and the door was lowered to the ground to ensure the safety of the guards.

Sarah directed the archers to point their arrows at the now quivering soldiers. "Listen to me!!! You will leave this cell and walk into that tunnel. You will follow it until you come to the light at the end of the tunnel." One of the prisoners shoved his way from the back to the front to confront the speaker, "How do we know that you won't kill us."

Sarah walked to the archer nearest her and took his bow and arrow. "When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern..." After stating this Sarah let the arrow fly and hit the speaker thru what she assumed was his knee. "Either you go into the tunnel and take him with you or every cell will be opened one by one and my archers will kill every single one of you in it." The prisoners carried their fellow prisoner and began walking towards the tunnel.

Sarah gave the bow and arrow back to the archer and walked towards the nearest torch and threw it at the prisoners. "Whoever is going to lead, take this torch to guide your way." As prisoners took the offered torch and began to shuffle much too slowly towards the tunnel Sarah walked back to the dungeon entrance and spoke with Paza, "They are moving too slowly. Call the rest and have them come down here. I will need you to chase them into the tunnel." Paza nodded his head in understanding and Sarah began to tap the archers and point upwards. They were all going to move to levels up and leave Skrit and the Stallions below so they could provide proper motivation to the prisoners.

Paza and the rest of the Stallions stood by the dungeon entrance hidden in the shadows waiting for Sarah's signal. So far they had been able to empty two of the twelve cells and at this rate it would take the rest of the day. Sarah had Hoggle order his fastest archer to retrieve several of her special colored balls from the armory in order to begin a more motivated exodus from the dungeons. It would all be in the timing and if she timed this wrong then all their plans would be for not.

Upon the archers return she handed the balls to ten other archers who pointed them towards the back of the ten remaining full cells. She set fire to the string attached and ordered them to fire. At that moment Skrit began to run and unlock the remaining cells by the time he had unlocked three cells the balls had impacted and burst into fire. The prisoners having been deprived of light for so long began to panic and run towards the front of the cells. Skrit ran faster and unlocked the remaining cells so the prisoners wouldn't crush themselves upon the gates.

At that moment Sarah had the archers launch the remaining balls to the level directly below them; this was the signal Paza had been waiting for as they ran out of the dungeon entrance. Some of the prisoners had been trying to climb up to escape the fire but when they saw the Stallions and the fire above them they began to run into the tunnel.

It was all over before Paza and his troupe made it to the lower level. Ludo stopped his warble and the tunnel collapsed in on itself ensuring that the prisoners could not return thru that passage.

Sarah leaned against the wall and almost sat on the floor from exhaustion but she couldn't afford that luxury there were miles to go before she could sleep.


	4. Step 3 of 3: Let the Dust Settle

Sarah had Hoggle order the archers back outside the castle and await their next instructions. Sir Didymus plan to train them had been a fool hearted plan at first but now she was glad for his knightly ways because without his preparations they would not have a chance now, speaking of which where was he. "Hoggle where is Didymus?" Hoggle shrugged his soldiers and Ludo mimicked his action. Sarah grew concerned and dropped her sword belt and helmet and ran up the stairs. She hoped that what she was thinking wasn't true but she needed to confirm with Marita and her sisters.

Sarah burst into the throne room and the scene in the pool was just as she had feared. The mirror was facing a large open room of some sort and Didymus was on the ground, bound and gagged. His spirit was still strong because he was yelling and moving even in his confined state. Trumpets sounded outside and Sarah used the curtain to cover her face as she looked out the window.

Hoggle was at the front gate by himself and the archers were behind the doors. It would do no good for the enemy representatives to see what they were planning. Sarah had given Hoggle a locket as well and he was wearing it so she ran back to the pool to see and hear what was happening, at that moment Ludo and Paza entered and she shushed them and pointed towards the pool.

"We are here for your answer, Hoghead." Hoggle huffed and crossed his arms, "You are not the king of me. I's already told you that his majesty is busy and you are being ridiculous. Go play battle with someone else." The speaker stepped forward and punched Hoggle so hard he fell to the ground, "We shall meet at the southern fields and we will win." With that the entourage moved towards the path that was clear cut across the kingdom and thru the Labyrinth and led to its entrance at the southern fields. The Labyrinth doors shut closed behind them and the guards at the gate placed several beams to ensure no one got in.

Hoggle got up from the floor and dusted himself off and walked to the throne room. As soon as he entered Sarah enveloped him in a hug, "I am so sorry none of us could be out there but they can't know we are here, not yet at least." Hoggle patted her back and nodded his understanding. Soon this nightmare would be over and when Jareth return it would be like nothing had ever happened.

Sarah told Hoggle what they had all seen concerning Sir Didymus and led him to the pool to show him as she tried to speak with Marita. "Marita. Marita I know you can hear me. Fly to Didymus so I can tell him what to do." Marita and her sisters looked around the room to make sure no one was there and they flew as fast as their wings let them towards Didymus.

"Didymus I want you to listen very carefully and do exactly as I say." Didymus shook his head and Sarah began to tell him to behave. To not speak a word to his captor no matter how much his Don Quixote heart wanted to rebel against them. He would acquiesce into their belief that he accepted his fate as a prisoner and would be witness to the downfall of his kingdom. He would allow them to drag him to the Labyrinth's gate where he would see the demise of the Goblin King.

"Marita you and your sisters fly back now and when you arrive bring me the locket and stay at the front with the rest of your group. Marita and her sisters didn't need to be told twice and they flew twice as fast towards the Labyrinth. Sarah sat back and took a deep breath before placing the helmet and sword back on. When Marita arrived her and her sisters would not recognize the Labyrinth entrance. The southern entrance which had once been nothing but dry barren land had been transformed into a lush green garden and filled with every single deadly plant that the Labyrinth had to offer.

Sarah had the remaining Fire Gangs throw a party of the likes which they had never had before and they had sung and coaxed the forest to grow beyond their borders and while she had slept and rested the party had been a total success. Sarah was glad to see the hill that she had once stood upon was now covered in beautiful lush green grass, tall dense trees and bushes that provided the perfect cover for all the fairies and the goblin army.

When the enemy representatives had come and gone they had failed to notice what was going on around them due to their arrogance and belief that they would be able to conquer the Goblin Kingdom. What they knew for a fact was that Jareth wasn't there, but how would be a question that needed to be answered later; the fact now was that they believed that Jareth was the only magic wielder in his kingdom and while Sarah had no magic to speak of the Labyrinth inhabitants did and she told them what to do with these strengths to ensure the survival of all. They had performed beyond her expectations and she only hoped that their faith in her abilities to carry them thru this ordeal without their king would be well deserved.

"Paza I need you to send four of your brethren to the east and four more to west to monitor any activity. For now only the southern kingdoms appear to be the ones interested in battle but we don't want surprises from any other side." Paza nodded and closed his eyes in order to find out who of his brethren would be going to the designated points. Sarah turned next to Hoggle, "Hoggle I need you to send the archers that were with us in the dungeon to the front. Tell them to hide in the brush until we get there. The remaining archers split them into two equal parts. One set is to go northeast and the other northwest. They will cover the spots not being monitored now by the Fire Gangs and the Stallions. Once you've dispatched them put on your armor and tell the rest of the band goblins to put on theirs. Start the traveling with the bog caravans with the special balls from the armory to the front and stay behind the front wall by the gate of the Labyrinth entrance."

Hoggle nodded and as he was about to leave, "Sarah." He had meant to apologize for dragging her into all this but Sarah beat her to it by coming to his side and hugging him, "Hoggle it will be okay. I am still Sarah but desperate times call for desperate measures. Everything will not go back to the way it was but things will be rough for everyone for a while but there will be quite once more. And don't worry about me, all that I do I do for everyone here because you are all my family, I could do no less than my best." Sarah let go of Hoggle and stepped back so he could ensure her orders were carried. Next Sarah turned to Paza and Ludo, "Let's go to the front, Paza keep one of your brethren in the lower levels, another here to monitor the door and the pool and the last two to monitor the outside grounds. Anything comes up communicate it to me." Sarah looked at the throne room once more and thought she saw the ghost of the Goblin King smiling his sardonic smile but when she blinked he was gone. She needed to concentrate at the problem on hand the riddle that was the king will have to be solved when this battle was over.

Jareth was in bliss or at least he thought he was in bliss. His vacation had started several days ago or was it weeks. His intention for travel had been to forget but try as he might he couldn't remember what it was that he was trying to forget which meant his goal had been reached but then he couldn't quite remember where he was, where he was going or where he had been but he was content. If being here was being content; his companion was beautiful and she complied with all his requests and she was always willing to do as he pleased and they were traveling at a leisurely pace to wherever it was she was taking him.

She kept telling him that all his worries were in the past that they were forging a future together, a happy future. That afternoon as he lay by the river resting after having a full lunch and his companion asleep next to him he stared up into the sky and saw the clouds traveling across the sky. He kept asking himself what it was that he was trying to forget and decided to take a walk to clear his mind. What were these worry's he was trying to forget. A noise to his right startled him and he saw a black bird as night with green eyes staring deeply into his eyes. He stumbled back when a pain hit him square in the chest that he almost passed out from it. He was trying to forget her, Sarah his green eyed fine black haired beauty with skin so pale it resembled a bright full moon. Apparently his companion had not done a well enough job to help him forget but he would remedy that. They will travel faster to reach their destination so he could have her memory erased and this pain gone.

Sarah had Jareth's chariot pulled out from the armory and cleaned. It had been originally been designed to be pulled by four goblins but Paza volunteered to pull it for her since time was of the essence. Sarah had Skrit by her side on the chariot and he would ensure that her lances were ready and so was their bow and arrows when it came down to enter into the fray. Sarah sent one final plea that this battle would not take place and for Jareth to appear to put an end to it. She knew it was a hollow plea because he had not shown himself in all this time no matter how hard Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didiymus had tried to contact him. She felt the tears slide down her cheeks but she couldn't brush them away. They were arriving at the gate and she needed to compose herself, she needed to suppress all human emotion and compassion and get the job done for all those who depended on her.

Sarah arrived at the gate and found Marita waiting for her with her locket in hand. Marita had tears on her face, "Thank you. Thank you for what you've done to the outer wall. We will do as you ask." Marita dropped Sarah's locket into her outstretched hand and flew back to her sisters. "Paza I need to speak to everyone and the only way I can do that is if you can lead the chariot up and down the ranks, would you please do that." Paza stomped his feet and actually spoke to Sarah in front of everyone, "I have a better idea, have you ever ridden a Stallion?" Sarah shook her head, "Then for this one time I will allow you to ride me and my fire since it is of my creation and desire I shall call forth and it will not harm you. You riding into the fray upon a Stallion a flame will strike fear into the hearts of those who wish to destroy us." Sarah descended from her chariot and began to undo the straps that held it on Paza, "I will only agree if you are absolutely sure because you doing this is a great honor for all of us." "I think I can speak for all of us that no one could have done better in these dire circumstances."

Sarah climbed upon Paza's back and strapped her bow and arrows to her back. She pulled her sword out and began to wave it above her head. Sarah knew several things. She knew how to ride a horse because she took lessons in high school on the weekends but these lessons were simple trot lessons not lessons at full gallop so she was going to have to learn very quickly. Second she only knew how to hold a sword properly because there had been a duel scene in one of her school plays but she had no clue how to wield it. But an untrained hand was more deadly than a trained one. A trained hand would kill and untrained one would just cause a lot of damage. Lastly she was probably going to have to depend on her bow and arrows but she had never shot when riding a horse at full gallop so the sooner she brought this battle to an end the better.

Sarah directed Paza to begin walking the line of those assembled as she spoke, "Of course no one wanted this battle. Why should you risk your life when the best you can hope for is to go back to your home and go about your lives as before but we were ordered to war. The actions of those that are beyond this wall called to us and we had to denounce our pacifist ways and respond to those who are putting all our lives in danger." Sarah could see in their eyes that her words were striking a cord, "Today we are going to do what we have to do, they counted on us to be passive and we are going to prove them wrong because victory will be ours for without victory there will be nor survival and we are fighting for our right to exist. So who's with me!"

The deafening roar response from all those assembled put strength back into Sarah's heart. We will survive and be stronger for this and then we will find you Jareth and bring you back. This is where you belong no matter what may be going on between you and I. They are your people and they need you more than you or they can understand. "Hoggle. You, Paza and I will go first and ask for their surrender and when they refuse we will wait for them to make the first move. On my call the catapult attack will be first. Once we are clear the archers will be next with the fire." Next Sarah beckoned for Marita, "Marita you and your sisters will stay behind the wall and every time a fire starts you will help the Fire Gangs gather it and quench it." Sarah walked and looked into the eyes of the junkyard lady's eyes. "Anyone that is able to climb over the wall once they step on the ground you will suck them in and dump them in the oubliettes located below your home. Take this mirror so you can keep me apprised of how this is going. If there are more than you can handle bring them back here to where the catapults are and we will launch them across the wall." The goblin army was ready and wanted to join the fray first, "All of you will be next. I will lead you directly into battle as soon as the first wave of catapults is done." The goblin army stomped their lances on the ground.

Sarah had never imagined Jareth to have had an army of goblins who were intelligent enough to go into battle for she only remembered the silly attempts of those who guarded his castle courtyard on her first trip to the goblin city but he had a need for it once and had kept it up and now she was thankful that Sir Didymus had had the forethought to have them ready, she only hoped that they would be enough.

Sarah mounted Paza and had the gate opened to allow only them exit in single file. She didn't want to give the enemy a full view into the Labyrinth. Sarah looked up at the sky to ensure there were no birds flying up above but she only saw more Labyrinth inhabitants. The bird that sat upon the Wiseman's hat was not the only aerial species native to the Labyrinth and Sarah had struck up an agreement with them. If they kept the sky's clear from enemy spies they would have unrestricted access to the sky above the east and west of the Labyrinth but they were to be the first line of defense in that area, they had agreed wholeheartedly because they would be the only inhabitants in those areas as well along with the junkyard lady's and the small quieter creatures.

Sarah mounted upon Paza traveled no more than a thousand paces to where the enemy was standing. They had Sir Didymus on the ground and he was out cold. Sarah was infuriated, they didn't have to hurt him and Didymus had a bleeding gash on his forehead. Hoggle stepped forward first to retrieve Didymus but was stopped by an arrow. "Are you surrounding Hogshead and who is your new playmate?" Sarah looked at the speaker and almost lost her lunch, while Jareth pale skin and features were of sheer beauty this creature was distorted. His face looked like that of a pig and his right hand was nothing more than a stomp and when he proceeded to like her lips she knew the jig was up, they knew she was a woman or at least she hoped that was what his action signified.

"We are not here to surrender. Hoggle collect Didymus, and you prepare." Paza did not trust to turn his back on the attackers and simply walked backwards towards the gate. Sarah climbed off Paza and climbed the nearest ladder so she could be on top of the Labyrinth wall to signal their attack as soon as they started theirs. She would not be accused of starting this battle. While they had all the proof to the contrary she wasn't going to give them the chance to say that she took advantage somehow when the smoke settled.


	5. Start all over Again

Sarah didn't have to wait long. The enemy decided to do a full frontal attack first. They had catapults too and they sent the ground army in first thinking that the sheer number would frighten the Labyrinth inhabitants but no one in the Labyrinth had seen the army and so this tactic would not work, "Catapults launch!!!" The rocks from deep within the Bog of Eternal Stench would crush several and make several more flee. Those that remind would be coated with slime and Sarah's extra mixture. As the army began to disperse from the first wave of attack Sarah ordered the archers to launch their arrows.

It was a sight to be seen, the arrows flew across the wall in such a wide and thick layer that the remaining combatants didn't have a chance to escape. "Archers! Fire!!!!!" The second wave of arrows were fire arrows and when they hit their mark the entire army went up on fire. If Sarah had not prepared herself she would have lost her lunch. The enemy army was doing nothing wrong but following orders and they were now roasting out in the Labyrinth fields. The stench of cooking meat wafted from the battle field and a cry of angry voices sounded behind them. Apparently they had not expected such a well formed attack and it had taken too long for pig to take action. He himself yelled at his incompetence and ordered the remaining legions to follow him.

Sarah climbed down as fast as she could from the wall and headed towards the junkyard lady, "The prisoners in the Stallions pit bring them here and launch them." The Junkyard Lady was about to protest, "Do it or I'm launching you instead!" Immediately dazed and confused prisoners were appearing next to the catapults, "Hog tie them and launch them across the wall!" The goblins piled on the prisoners and began tossing them across the wall as ordered. Sarah climbed back up the wall and saw what she had only hoped for, when the prisoners began landing on the opposing army some of them ran back and dropped their weapons. She had a feeling they had been told of an easy win and not matter what they had seen earlier and whatever anger that scene would have caused it was nothing compared to knowing that the forces they had placed inside had been caught and were now being used for cannon fodder.

"You can stop now Grench." The Garbage Lady stopped summoning prisoners thru the oubliette and looked into the battle field. What had started as an army of thousands upon thousands had been reduced to just several hundreds. Their dazed and confused expressions were enough to convince Sarah that it was time for the aerial assault. She caught the light upon her blade and shined it upon the birds on the sky. These birds while quite beautiful were simply that animals to be admired because they had the most horrendous singing voices. They made Ludo's warble seem like opera compared to the noise that emitted from their beaks. As they torpedoed towards the remaining attackers they began to squawk. Their high pitched noises were loud and close enough to the army that they burst their ear drums. They started to scream and run away from the animals that were hiding amongst the smoke produced by the fire churning bodies of their dead comrades.

The attack lasted only a few lines of their song and then they launched themselves back into the air. Sarah climbed down from the wall and beckoned for Marita, "Marita everyone that was out there was the entire army, correct?" "Yes. Everyone one in the camps came down for the battle, they had planned to pillage every last corner of the Labyrinth and so they left no one behind, not even the cook." Sarah mounted Paza and ordered the gates flung open. This was the moment the army had been hoping for and they ran out of the Labyrinth with a loud yell of war. What happened next was a blur those who fought back were cut down without a second thought and those that threw their weapons down were pinned in place by their own swords buried deep into the ground and them in between.

Sarah had ordered the goblin army to only kill those who fought but those who surrendered incapacitated so they would not pose a threat in the future so the ensured this by burying swords into the right side of their leg. A wound like this would be deadly but they would be treated and released to go back to their homes at the end of it all.

The whole battle had not taken a single life on the side of the Labyrinth inhabitants but it had decimated the enemy's army. Sarah split the army into three sections. One set was to load the dead and take them to the Bog of Eternal Stench. Once there the troops that had prepared the rock fire bombs would strip the armor of the dead and burn the bodies. What could be salvaged was to be placed in the armory and what could not was given to Grench for that had been their agreement.

The remaining next set was placed in charge of clearing the attacker's camp and leave only one tent up where Sarah would interview their leader to find out who he was and what he knew. They would then begin clearing the battlefield so Marita and the rest of the fairies could begin their life. The remaining Fire Gang went with the soldiers to monitor their surroundings to ensure none of those that had fled were calling on reinforcements.

"Paza what do your brethren say" "There have been no disturbances anywhere; it appears this attack was solely a frontal attack and no one else was involved." Sarah entered the tent followed by Hoggle and Didymus astride Ambrosious. Sarah left the tent flap open so that Ludo and Paza could hear the conversation. Sarah took a chair and set her weapons upon it. She then took her helmet off as she addressed her prisoner, "Hello Ranqir." Ranqir spit at Sarah but it only landed at her feet, "Lets not make this more difficult. You have lost so why don't end this with some dignity on your end. Tell me everything and you can go back home to those who love and miss you." Ranqir tightened his mouth and refused to speak to Sarah. "Paza torture is a common way to get answers from prisoners but I don't want to resort to that today. Too much violence has been shed." Paza nodded his understanding. "Skrit!" Skrit rushed into the tent, "Skrit tell the army to be ready to move as soon as they are done with their duties and after they have rested. We march towards the southern kingdom for answers."

Ranqir turned to look at Sarah, "You've left me no choice I was going to send you back peacefully but you have left me no choice you won't answer my questions then someone back home will." Sarah gathered her items and left Didymus and Hoggle to watch Ranqir while she went back to the castle to prepare for travel and look into the pool and hope to see a glimpse of Jareth.

Sarah had just arrived back at the castle when Skrit come running to tell her the army was ready to march. From what she had gathered from the soldiers wounded in the battle and that were being treated deep in the Fire Gangs forest their home was unprotected. Only young ones and those too weak to go to battle were left behind. All they knew was that Ranqir their leader, because they did not believe in kings or queens, had been visited by glamorous fae and they had told Ranqir that the Goblin King was gone from his land and now was the time for him to expand his own lands. With everything the Labyrinth held Ranqir would be a stronger force to be reckoned with, so nothing but ambition and greed had led the attack.

Sarah went outside to talk to Paza about what she was now planning to do. "Paza I would like for you and only a couple of your brethren to join me. Once we take control of the situation in the southern lands because they don't believe in kings and queens and we both determine it safe for Ludo to travel with you we will have him and the rest for brethren come down and go into your new lands. Right now it is just too uncertain and I don't want to put anyone in danger if it can be avoided." Paza nodded his understanding but it didn't mean that he liked it. He had hoped that with this battle over that the Stallions would be able to run to their original home and finally be at peace but with the information gathered from the recovering wounded it only raised more questions, who had been these glamorous fae and why had they wanted Jareth out of the way and the Labyrinth destroyed.

Sarah climbed into the supply caravan as it was pulled by worker goblins. The second and third caravans were full of provisions and weaponry and the last caravan had Ranqir bound and gagged so he wouldn't disturb anyone. They started at a fast pace to ensure that they arrived at their destination before sunset.

Sarah had changed into her armor and had mounted Paza once more before the last leg of their journey. When they came to the road that led straight into the heart of the southern lands they saw dilapidated dwellings and children running around in nothing more than rags. No wonder Ranqir had been desperate to obtain what the Labyrinth offered; compared to his the Labyrinth was paradise. Sarah had the army surround the dwellings and push all the inhabitants to the center of town. When they arrived there she had Ranqir pulled out from the last caravan and thrown at her feet.

In full armor she addressed the crowd, "Here in front of you lies your great ruler. He refuses to tell me why he attacked the Labyrinth and if there is anyone here who can offer an explanation you will be spared everyone else will be considered a traitor and put to death much like this pig." Sarah dismounted from Paza and walked towards Ranqir, as she raised her sword to plunge it into Ranqir what Sarah could only assume to be a woman thru herself upon Ranqir, "I'll tell you everything just spare him, he is my brother." Ranqir tried to shove his sibling off him and glared at her in anger, "I told you brother that it was foolish to follow the lead of that fae. We were nothing but a tool for her." "My name is Qten and Ranqir is my only and older brother."

Qten let go of Ranqir and stood to face Sarah, "Exactly six moon cycles ago a fae woman came to meet with Ranqir. I was not part of the meeting so I could not give you her name but what I can tell you what happened after she left. She took the main road towards the Goblin Kingdom and our lives were never the same again. Ranqir began to order the villagers out of the fields and into battle training. For that we have starved for the last two moon cycles. All our stores are dried up and because Ranqir was determined to succeed he had fed his ambition to his army and they left us here to fend for ourselves. Just before you arrived several of the farmers came back. They are hiding in the basement of my home. They have pleaded with me to forgive them but I don't know what to do.

Sarah ran Qten's information with that from the wounded. They either all rehearsed very well or they were telling the truth. Sarah had come to one conclusion though. The battle for the Labyrinth had ended but the war for Jareth safe return was only beginning.

"I believe you Qten but because your brother was the leader and he represented you and the rest of the villages in this battle you will from this point forward no longer be masters of your own fate. Your brother made that forfeit when he attacked the Labyrinth. You are all now under its rule and will do as commanded." The remaining villagers began to shout their protests when Paza neighed and burst into flame. Sarah didn't know if he was angry at her words or at the villager's reactions but she did not react to it. Paza was standing behind her and she was sure he made a formidable sight be she did not show her fear, "Like I told Ranqir. We can do this the hard way or the easy way, your choice but choose wisely. Under the Goblin Kingdom's rule you will be prosperous without it as a conquered land we will do as we wish to everyone and everything here."

Qten looked around her and saw the hunger gnawing at the children and the anger from the adults, "We must do this for the children. Let not our weaknesses to stop Ranqir destroy the possibility to have a future. We will no longer be the southern lands but part of the Goblin Kingdom and that is better than being annihilated." Qten looked towards Sarah and was about to take a knee to show she surrendered herself to the Goblin Kingdom's rule. Sarah pointed at Skrit and had him bring a contract to her. Sarah wanted to make sure that there were no discrepancies, all those who were part of the Goblin Kingdom would not only be ruled but bound to it and to its ruler for all future generations to come.

As the people began to sign the contract Sarah ordered Qten to show her which was her house. She had several soldiers surround it to ensure no one tried to escape. She then began to examine the houses that still stood and those that were in the worst condition were torn down and what could be salvaged would be used to build new homes at a later time. All those who had been left homeless would be sharing those of who had managed to keep their homes in livable conditions.

She then ordered the army into the fields and reports how damaged the land was to allow for planting and the new was disheartening. The fresh rive that flowed thru their lands was caked in mud from lack of grass and trees from holding back the river bank from unloading dirt into it. Sarah had a small group of soldiers to go back and call upon one of the Fire Gangs, Marita and several fairies of her choosing. She hoped that their magic would follow them this far south so they could coax the land by the river back. It would take some time but the water would one day be drinkable and the land plant able but for now they would have to live from what was in the Goblin stores.

Once the food, water, Fire Gang and the fairies arrived the house with the biggest facilities was chosen as a communal gathering place. The children were all bathed and given clean proper clothes to wear and sent to the task of learning. The adults were also cleaned and their closed fixed and sent out to the fields to begin the replanting and restoring of their lives. Sarah stayed with the villagers for several nights to ensure that when the wounded arrived there wouldn't be an outcry of anger.

When the first caravan arrived with the healed Qten was angry when she saw that they were wounded and came to Sarah to demand an answer, "In case you haven't noticed they are only hobbling from lack of exercise. True they will never be healthy enough to fight but they are healthy enough to return to the fields where you have always belonged. Be glad I didn't kill them when they were on the ground." Qten walked back outside and she saw the truth in Sarah's words. The soldiers would never be able to take up arms again but they had never been meant for such a life. Qten nodded her agreement and went to make arrangements for the returning villagers.

As the first full moon in the southern village grew closer, Sarah took several of the strongest villagers so they could begin clearing a path for Paza and his brethren to travel to the lands further south. "Qten why was the road allowed to be taken over by the wild?" "After the Stallions were purged from their lands no one has come or had the time to try to inhabit them. We are…were a simple people and had our hands full with our lives here in the village." Sarah nodded and waved Qten away; Paza it is time. Once the villagers finish clearing a path I will travel with you and a small soldier entourage to ensure you will be safe. Once we do you will call everyone else who wishes to come and Ludo will follow you to create you mountains.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten our agreement and for that I ask for your forgiveness I know that lately your concern has been for him and his return but I must ask, why don't you ever call to him? That may be all that is needed to bring him back." Paza walked away from Sarah and she stood there pondering his comment, could it all be that simple. Call upon him the way he had told Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus and he would return or was he too far gone for her to ever hope to reach. She would explore that possibility later right now she needed to ensure that the last of the Labyrinth saviors received their just rewards.

By the time the second moon cycle reached Sarah's stay in the village Paza was ready to call upon his brethren. Sarah had all the villagers stay indoors after nightfall and bar all their doors and windows and they were not to come out until sunrise the next day. Since there was no safe or secret way to transport the Stallions to their new home and Paza insisted that their true numbers remain secret Sarah had acquiesced without a second thought. So upon the first moonless night the gates of the Labyrinth were flung open and Sarah was speechless at what she saw. It seemed that a giant fireball was headed straight towards the village and in a moment said fireball was upon them. Sarah had never and would probably never see such a sight there were easily at least a hundred Stallions in the group. She could only assume that some were mares because there were colts in the group that galloped and kept pace with their full grown counterparts. Paza let the group pass before he turned to Sarah, "Thank you for all that you have done they will be happy in their new home and I have promised them to check up on them every once in a while.

Sarah turned to Paza, "Check up on them aren't you going with them?" Paza shook his head, "Not today. Someday but not today there is still more work to do and besides someone has to be you clarity in the upcoming battle." The next morning the villagers came out to find Sarah and the army gathered and packed up ready to leave. "Qten you will remain my representative in this land. This crown with its jewel will show you above all others and it is a direct link to me. Wear it always and I will be back soon to check up on the village and villagers progress. Your first tribute payment will not be due for some time." Qten curtsied to Sarah as she left and headed back to the castle. She would need to rest for several days before she put her new plan into action, calling Jareth back.


	6. Pawn to Bishop

"Sarah?", Hoggle walked cautiously into the throne room. Since Sarah had returned from the Southern lands she had retreated into the throne room and had asked all those with any knowledge of the surrounding lands to come in and educate her of what they knew. Fact or rumor it did not matter she was trying to form a plan and a map of the lands surrounding the Labyrinth. Jareth had spent a large portion of his reign insulated and that was costing her now. She did not want to leave the Labyrinth with so much as a hint of what or who was out there waiting to aid or hinder her mission to bring Jareth back to where he belonged. Hoggle took a seat against the wall and watched as Sarah dismissed the last of the day's visitors.

Sarah went to sit on the throne and covered her eyes with her hands and rubbed her eyes, "Hoggle, tomorrow I want to start talking with everyone who met with the enchantress. No matter how insignificant the contact I want to talk to them." Hoggle nodded and moved towards the throne room entrance to wave the servers in. Hoggle had been taking care of Sarah for the last three days since her return from the Southern lands. Making sure she rested and ate at regular intervals. It would do no one any good if she fell ill even before her journey began. So far no one else had attempted an assault on the Labyrinth and all those who lived with in the walls were even more vigilante of their surroundings ensuring that it stayed that way.

Sarah spent her days planning, organizing and all around ensuring that the mission she was going to launch was a success she spent her nights sleeping as close to the pool she had commissioned at the center of the throne room in order to look for Jareth. Tonight would be no different, "Hoggle, I've been searching for him by using my feelings and sometimes…sometimes I get glimpses of him but when he turns to look at me his stare is cold as ice. I think he hates me." Hoggle crossed his arms and scratched his chin, he was at a loss of words to help her thru this.

"Sarah yous shouldn't thinks that, he's…", Hoggle stopped talking when Sarah's whimpers began. Tears began to follow her whimpers as she stood and walked away from him to her make shift bed, "He hates me and I don't know really know why it hurts so much but it does." Sarah fell asleep and Hoggle stood and covered her up with her blankets. He went around the room and began to clear the mess and getting it organized he had a feeling that Sarah just as much as Jareth were going to need a lot of support.

It was exactly six sunsets from her return from the Southern lands and Sarah and her companions were finally leaving the Labyrinth walls. Her and her companions would travel by night only and hide during the day. Sarah was bringing Grench (The Garbage Lady), Sir Didymus, Zurita (Marita's twin), ever faithful Skrit and Frin and Freq (Fire Gang twins of Frim and Frep); along with a small troupe of goblins and a dozen and half of the best soldier goblins. The plan was simple sleep, rest and plan during the day deep in the wild in order to avoid detection but travel at night in order to avoid being seen as well. They would stop at certain cities in order to perform a show that included dance, acting, juggling, and anything else they could think of while the little goblins led by Skrit would mingle with the crowd to listen to their story's as they planted their own questions about the enchantress that may have passed thru recently.

The first night of travel Sarah, Grench and Sir Didymus took the reins of the stallions (not the Fire Stallions for they all now lived past the Southern lands and Paza was staying behind to be another level head along with Hoggle); and began a slow pace towards the West. Towards the East was a large expanse of water Sarah called an ocean for lack of information concerning what lay beyond it. The best educated guess was that the enchantress traveled east following the river since she had taken very little supplies with her. The castle workers had told her that they had tried to pack breads, fruits and dried meats for the journey but she ordered only minimum supplies so Sarah, Hoggle and Paza had deduced that she would supplement the king's diet with hunting and fishing from along the river banks. The first night they traveled along the river, while it had been months since the king's departure they hoped to find something out of place in their travel to signal that they were on the right track. Soon dawn was upon them and Sarah guided the stallions deep into the brush. Grench and Sir Didymus slept in the caravan after the supplies and the rest of the travelers had emptied out. Sarah stayed up a little longer by ensuring that everyone knew their roles. Skrit and a couple of the soldier goblins along with Zurita would travel further down the river on foot and scout the area for any signs of their king; they were to set-up a small camp and wait to be picked up by Sarah.

The first three nights and dawns went this way. Travel in the shadows of night but always keeping an ear and eye out for anything that might signal they were in the right track and Skrit scouting party during the day to search for any signs. It was on their fourth sunset after they had picked up Skrit and his scouting party that they came across the out skirts of a small city that seemed bustling with much activity for such a dark evening. Sarah climbed into the back of the caravan to don her costume and sat hidden in her cloak behind Grench. Grench knew what she and Didymus had to do and so he began to play his miniature violin. As Grench guided the caravan into the heart of the city she smiled and greeted those who looked up to the caravan, "Hello! Hello!" Grench guided the caravan to an empty spot between a cloth seller and a pot seller. She stepped down and approached the pot seller but kept a close watch on the silk merchant. "Hello! Hello! Why the festivities?" The pot merchant regarded her and seemed to weigh his options of answering the mingy woman or not, "It is the night before a new moon and we come to celebrate the end of the dark and the upcoming evening illumination. Tomorrow the Regent will host a party in the town square and there will be food and drink for everyone but tonight we work." Grench nodded her understanding and waved goodbye to the merchant; she stepped up and into her caravan to inform Sarah of what she had just heard and to decide what they were going to do, stay or go after the party." Sarah weighed her options and thought it best to stay one more night because with the square full of people wine would surely be flowing and full bellies make loose lips.

Sarah whispered her plan to Didymus and he hoped out of the caravan and woke up Frin and Freq for their first performance. Didymus, Frin and Freq started with a merry song about a maiden so fair and pure but with one problem she couldn't juggle and that's when they Frin and Freq began to juggle their heads along with the fruit Didymus had in his hands. People stopped and stared and once they got over their initial shock began to clap along with Didymus at the antics of Frin and Freq. After they juggled their heads back in place they bowed and hoped into the van and that is when everyone got their first glimpse of Grench, "Welcome! Welcome! To my little show! Now don't be shy the kiddies do need to eat and any trinket or coin will do." Grench held out a bag and some of the on lookers came forward and deposited what sounded like coins to her into the bag. "My next show is quite simple a dancer." Grench stepped out of the caravan and used her staff to move the people back, "Give the dancer some room." Didymus began to play his flute and Zurita flew out of the caravan and began to circle the open area Grench had opened. Frin and Frek came out and started running in circles as well and as such a small glowing ring of fire began to glow. The on lookers were mesmerized by the shimmering wings of Zurita and how the flames seemed so delicate. They were all shaken when from the caravan a large ball launched it self and landed in the middle of the ring extinguishing the lights. Frin, Freq and Zurita along with the spectators all stared at the cloaked figure.

Sarah waited until she heard the pitter patter of Skrit and his brethren scatter amongst the crowd before she stood to begin her routine. She had Didymus listen to some of her music before they had left the castle and had him learn five different songs. Tonight they were playing the simplest one so that the crowd would be interested enough to invite Grench to stay tomorrow for the banquet. As she swirled and danced to the tune Didymus played his flute she saw the crowd parting to the caravan's right and someone dressed in fine clothes stood at the front of the crowd. As Sarah's routine came to an end she descended to a crouched position and Grench moved in front of her to hide her from everyone's eyes. At this Skrit and his brethren began to clap and whistle and the crowd followed to mesmerize by the performance to notice the shadows that left them and gathered behind the caravan.

"Come come trinket or coin for the dancer they don't live off air only you know." Grench began to walk in front of the on lookers again holding out her bag as they began to deposit items into it. "Show all done. Goodbye. Goodbye." Sarah still sat in the same position where Grench had left her and was the first to notice the fine boots that stood in front of her. Grench had seen the man but ignored him as part of the plan. "Dancer. Dancer!" The Regent had seen the end of Sarah's performance and wished to have it repeated but the dancer was ignoring him, did the dancer not know who he was. He moved to grab the dancer when Grench came to stand next to him, "Nobody touches the dancer because if they touch the dancer they break the dancer." The Regent scoffed at Grench and went to grab Sarah but all he grasped was an empty cloak. The Regent whirled on Grench, "Nobody touches the Dancer. Only look at the Dancer but never touch." Grench moved to climb her caravan, "Old hag you will bring the dancer tomorrow to the festivities and she will entertain us." Grench nodded and gave the reins a small tap to lead the caravan out of the city so they could camp out in the wild for the rest of the night.

Sarah remained hidden under a pile of blankets and goblin bodies in the depths of the caravan so no one could see her. When they were a safe distance from the city she had Grench set-up camp so they could discuss what they had learned and plan for tomorrow. Skrit and his brethren told Sarah what they had learned from the cloth seller. His cloths were the same ones that the enchantress had used upon her visit so it was possible that she had come by this way or he was a close acquaintance of hers. They had also learned that because of the festivities the town would sleep for most of the day to prepare to be awake for most of the night. They would find the seller tomorrow and find out what he knew of the enchantress.


	7. A Gambit Play

Jareth was in bliss or at least he thought he was in bliss. His vacation had started several days ago or was it weeks. His intention for travel had been to forget but try as he might he couldn't remember what it was that he was trying to forget which meant his goal had been reached but then he couldn't quite remember where he was, where he was going or where he had been but he was content. If being here was being content; his companion was beautiful and she complied with all his requests and she was always willing to do as he pleased and they were traveling at a leisurely pace to wherever it was she was taking him.

She kept telling him that all his worries were in the past that they were forging a future together, a happy future. That afternoon as he lay by the river resting after having a full lunch and his companion asleep next to him he stared up into the sky and saw the clouds traveling across the sky. He kept asking himself what it was that he was trying to forget and decided to take a walk to clear his mind. What were these worry's he was trying to forget. A noise to his right startled him and he saw a black bird as night with green eyes staring deeply into his eyes. He stumbled back when a pain hit him square in the chest that he almost passed out from it. He was trying to forget her, Sarah his green eyed feigned black haired beauty with skin so pale it resembled a bright full moon. Apparently his companion had not done a well enough job to help him forget but he would remedy that. They will travel faster to reach their destination so he could have her memory erased and this pain gone.

Grench had setup her coach by the West exit of the plaza. The goblins and Sarah followed Skrit to the house of the cloth vendor so they could question him about the enchantress. Zurita joined them so she could help them search every nook and cranny for info. Grench sat at the front of her coach and looked as imposing and threatening as she could in order to deter early onlookers.

The Regent was not deterred though and he stood in front of Grench. "I want the dancer to perform for me." Grench huffed and rummaged thru her belongings and pulled out a black glossy box. When she opened it a melody played with a dancer in the middle. The Regent huffed, "Not a toy! Your dancer from last night!" Grench closed her box and crossed her arms, "No. My dancer only dances at night and today will be no exception, not even for you." The Regent was going to have Grench's coach torn apart when a ruckus erupted in the east side of the city. The Regent walked over to the disturbance but vowed to return to continue his conversation with Grench. A couple of the goblins had been dispatched in order to keep the Regent busy until it was time for the festivities to begin.

Sarah had Zurita sprinkle the vendor with sleeping dust that Grench had and they had ransacked his house and found nothing so far, which was the most disturbing piece. The house was bare except for a couple of dishes but there were no stores of food and only a chair in the main room. Everyone left thru the back door and after the festivities they would come back to conduct a thorough interview.

Jareth's desire to reach his destination sooner had been a disaster, their wagon had a broken wheel and it hadn't stopped raining in three days. They had been stuck in a small town waiting for the weather to clear but everyone told him it would be a couple more days before the weather was fine again for travel. Ever since his encounter at the riverbank with that bird he had wanted nothing but thoughts of her banished. Now standing here under a full moon with the rain beating mercilessly against the window pane it only augmented his memory.

Grench told Sarah that she was the third act that night so she prepared her in her longest and thickest shimmering gown to twirl and sway to the music. Grench needed Sarah to dance and shine under the full moon tonight. Her image would reflect upon its surface like a mirror and it would carry it across the night to whoever happened to be under its spell tonight.

Sarah heard the strings of the song Grench had selected. The goblins were playing air instruments and Sir Didymus was playing his string instrument. The goblins were all in heavy long cloaks so people wouldn't recognize them. So far in the days they had traveled they had been fortunate enough to not be seen or to fast to be truly caught when they were causing mischief, it wouldn't do them any good if word reached the enchantress that goblins were on the move and more importantly on her trail.

As the moon shined down upon the show miles away at the inn Jareth also gazed upon it as well and was enthralled by its pale beauty. There she was again the raven haired monster that had caused him all this pain but she appeared to be in pain to. The sorrowful melody that she was dancing to was almost as unbearable as the pain he was feeling.

The enchantress felt her spells being tested and turned to see Jareth staring out the window towards the moon. She quickly went to him and drew the blinds so as to draw his attention away and began to sing to him trying to bring his attention back to her. That's when she heard the melody playing and the mist that always seemed to surround his eyes began to clear. She saw the mirror behind Jareth begin to swirl, no this couldn't happen at a worse time she thought to herself. She needed to something quick and so she played her last card. She looked deep into Jareth's mismatched eyes and began a new song, a chant that carried her strongest spell, a spell of love that would bind him to her. If she lost in this gamble she would take him down with her. Her employer would be quite upset by this turn of events but he would be more cross if she returned empty handed.

She sang louder her melody going from a simple whisper to her a louder chant as she began to dance with Jareth across the room trying to ensure that her spell took hold of him. She chanced a quick look at the mirror and saw that it had coalesced and the song that she had heard in the background had begun to fade. She glanced back to Jareth and looked deep into his eyes and was satisfied that her spell had taken a hold of him. His eyes were clouded over once more and so she led him to the bed and bade him sleep. Jareth didn't need much encouragement he felt exhausted. His mind heavy with sleep he closed his eyes and was lost to the world until daybreak.

As Sarah neared the end of her song she knew that whatever magic Grench was trying to work had partially succeeded. The magic's she was trying to work were more like locator spells but with much subtly involved. They did need to alert their prey that they were being pursued if possible not at all until they had accomplished their goal and were safely on the road back to the Goblin Kingdom. Sarah ended her dance with a flash, a puff of smoke and a disappearing act. All that had witnessed her dance were silent for only a moment and then the applause began. The following act began their performance at the north end of the arena and the crowds turned to see the next act. The Regent left his seat as inconspicuously as he could and made his way to Grench, "I want to see her now." Grench led the Regent to the back of her coach and showed him a tall and slender cabinet with a glass door. Inside lay the dancer asleep with her arms at her side. She looked as though she was sleeping and the Regent couldn't help but open the case. As he touched her he recoiled as if burned, "She's cold. What magic is this?" Grench closed the case that held the dancer and pushed it up onto the coach. "No trick, magic. Dancer made of paper and nothing more." Grench walked to the front of her coach and climbed up to her seat. They had accomplished what they wanted, to find out more of his Highness whereabouts and with tonight's dance and spell they had achieved that. There was no need to go back to the vendor and the sleep induced by the dust wouldn't wear off until the next morning that gave them at least a day and tonight to catch up to where they were going.

Grench started the horses on a slow pace as they excited the festivities but once granted passage through the city's gate she began to quicken their pace and as they were clear from the city's view she turned the reigns over to Sarah. Everything in the coach had been tied down securely to ensure that it didn't topple over as Grench worked a small spell to give the horses the stamina they would need to survive the night. Sarah planned to make good time and she was willing to drive the horses to exhaustion if that was what it took to get to Jareth before another day went by.

The morning started overcast but he rain had stopped the predictions of the inn keeper that it would be three days for it to clear had proved wrong and the enchantress was busy ensuring their coach was ready to go as soon as she lifted the sleeping spell from Jareth. Last nights attempts from his subjects to reach him had failed but the sooner she got him to her employer the sooner she would be at peace. They were still another five sunrises from their destination in a leisure pace and while she wanted to increase the pace of their travel she couldn't risk her spells being compromised once more. As long as the weather held they would travel as long as the daylight allowed and then make camp for the night as the last possible minutes. They could probably travel the remaining distance in three possibly four days and this assignment would be over.

The night had been uneventful for Sarah's troupe and as such they had made great timing. Grench pulled on Sarah's sleeve and pointed to the side of the road towards the sounds of a stream. While Sarah hated to stop she knew everyone needed a break, especially the horses they would be no good to her dead. She slowed them to a gallop and they walked towards the stream to have their fill of water. Immediately Didymus began to unload the horses food and directed the goblins to remove the harnesses from the horses but to keep the ropes wrapped loosely around their necks as they led them towards a small glade and tied them to the tree trunks. They would rest as long as possible before they continued their trek. While they had not risked traveling during the daylight before they would risk it now that they were so close to their quarry. Soon they would be upon the enchantress and at that point she hoped many questions would be answered, especially the who was behind the plan to conquer the Labyrinth.


	8. A Fumbling Thief in the Night

It had been a nerve wrecking limit pushing experience but here they were. The first day on the river bank Sarah had wanted nothing but to hurry up with their rest and get back on board so they could get a move on. Now that she knew the direction Jareth and the Enchantress were going she would catch up to them quicker. Grench had to knock her out with a sleepless rest spell to allow everyone the necessary rest. When Sarah awoke at dusk she was furious but everyone was ready to go and so they traveled under the cover of darkness once more and again they made great timing. They were only half a day away from ending this crazy chase.

The Enchantress wanted to run away she could feel something in the air and it made her skin crawl. She had rarely felt such uncontrolled raw power and the few times she had heard about it only ended in catastrophe. It was too late to go now though, they had stopped to make camp as soon as the first signs of dusk began to appear. Now it was to dark to move. She had another quick trick left up her sleeve she was going to use to occupy Jareth and weave him into a sleeping spell. The Enchantress directed her staff to pick up instruments and begin to play. Jareth had been staring at the fire and poking at the logs uninterestedly but now that the music played he looked up. The Enchantress was walking around the campsite and pouring a mixture of herbs and sand in order to form a barrier between what was coming and her captive.

Jareth began to hum to the music and the Enchantress began to move faster, if Jareth sang it would be over. His singing would break any enchantment she had laid down in order to prevent his aides from reaching him and him finding out the truth. She rushed over and began to dance for him and Jareth stopped humming but unknown to both of them, it had been too late.

Sarah and the rest of her Labyrinth companions had heard the first couple of chords of Jareth's hum and now Sarah's necklace was shining bright on her chest. The glow dimmed and Hoggle's voice came through, "Sarah! Sarah! Yous got him?!" Sarah gave the reigns to Grench and she brought her necklace to eye level, "No I don't have him yet Hoggle but I will shortly, be ready." Hoggle nodded and he kept quiet but the connection that Sarah had formed with her mirrors was going to be the key to getting Jareth home.

Grench pulled the horses to an abrupt stop and pointed towards the rising smoke that was reaching for the sky in the nearby distance. Grench turned to Sarah who pointed towards the side of the rode. Once there they removed the harness from the horses and placed saddles on them instead. The attack was set to start soon before they lost the element of surprise. Sarah once more donned Jareth's armor and Grench rode with her. Skrit the Fire Gang members and a couple of the other goblins joined Sarah and Grench. Those that stayed behind were given their orders.

"Grench make a fog to hide our approach." Sarah then turned to Skrit, "Skrit take a couple of your friends and scare up the night life and have them rush the camp, and I want to see what were up against." Skrit nodded and ran off into the distance with wild calls that startled everything in his wake. The Fire Gang members were behind them rounding the nightlife and directing them towards the camp. Sarah mounted a horse and placed Grench in front of her, "I want that wall down before she knows what's coming Grench." "Easier said than done, Skrit will need to clear it from the inside." Sarah nodded and rode calling Skrit back to her, "Burrow around the camp where you can see the barrier that Grench will highlight if the ground underneath is disturbed the barrier will fall and tell the fire gang to set it ablaze." Skrit ran off to catch up with his comrades and do as he was told, kingy would be home tonight.

The Enchantress heard the night come to life and it sent chills up her spine. They were here, how had they caught up with her more important how had they found her. The animals from the brush began to fly towards the camp but they felt more than saw the barrier and flew or ran around it to avoid hitting it. She began to chant in order to increase its potency when she felt it falter and opened her eyes just in time to see it crumble into pockets that were opening underneath it. For every hole that opened a fire began and before she could get her ingredients to reinforce her barriers two horses rode hard into her camp.

Sarah jumped of from behind Grench and yanked Jareth up from where he was sleeping, "Skrit! NOW!!!" At the moment of Sarah's yell Skrit and the goblins ran into the camp with weapons drawn, the Fire Gang began to set fire to everything they touched. The Enchantress and her men were confused long enough to allow Sarah the time to place Jareth over the second horse and she jumped behind Grench once more and began to ride the horses hard back the way she came.

The Fire Gang, the goblins and Skrit all left right after Sarah disappeared with kingy. They knew to lead the Enchantress and her men away from where Sarah went off too so they made horse galloping noises in many places in the dark in order to confuse their pursuers.

The Enchantress was having a hard time locating Jareth now that his subjects had him again. Their loyalty to him was clouding her abilities, the only way she would be able to get him back was if he invited her back in but that would prove impossible once he saw who was inside his armor. There was no denying it; the girl had come for him. She had been the raw power she had felt earlier and now she knew why Jareth had coveted the girl, the question now was would the girl want him.

When Sarah arrived back at their camp the make shift pool had been set. "Hoggle! I need you!" Hoggles face appeared in the pool and Sarah pushed Jareth in first. "Grab him Ludo! Grab him!" Ludo reached into the pool without getting in and pulled the king out. "Come on! Come on! Quickly!" Sarah began to wave all her companions in Grench, Zurita and her were the last, "You remember what to do?" Zurita nodded as Grench and Sarah dived into the pool. "They turned in time to see Zurita break the glass vial left in her care and watch the contents spill into the makeshift pool. Sarah had taken several vials filled with bog water as a defense against possible attackers but also so that Zurita would be alb to destroy the pool after they had used it. Zurita knew her way home now they just had to hope she would make it back safe and sound.


	9. People Are Strange

Sarah had lost count of time. It had felt like an unending nightmare what should have been a joyous occasion, Jareth's return, had turned into a worried frenzy. Healers of all kinds were called from all corners of Jareth's kingdom to try and cure his malady. Watching Jareth endure what Sarah could only describe as knocking on death's door. He had gone thru periods of cold sweats, fevers that would have had any other being to die and then he had stopped breathing entirely several times. Sarah had kept a vigil at his side and had only left to shower and change as needed. All matters of state had been left in Hoggle's and Sir Didymus's hands. At night they would come and talk to Sarah and Jareth in his chambers to update them both about had happened and how they resolved the minor issues. Sarah would always ask Jareth what he thought about her ideas on resolving the bigger issues before she told Hoggle and Didymus to proceed as she had directed. Inquiry's from nosy individuals who had come to once more ask about Jareth had been told that a grand ball was upcoming and that he would be in attendance.

During the day Sarah had read to Jareth books that she had the goblins bring to her from the library. Sarah remembered that doctors would say that when a person was in a coma that they could still here you so that was exactly what she had done. She read all kinds of books and when she got tired she had talked about everything and anything that came to mind. Sometimes she would act out parts from the plays she had participated in just to cut the monotony.

"Sarah?" Hoggle shuffled over to Sarah who was sitting close to the fire trying to absorb some of its warmth. It was a particularly chilling night and as Sarah stoked the fire and Skrit lay in front of it to stay warm she had begun to hum. A whimsical cord at first but then she remembered a line from long ago and couldn't help but giggle. Hoggle patted Sarah's hand. He had seen her at her worst the last several months and when she giggled like this that was when she began to cry and he would give her his shoulder to cry on but tonight it was different. "Hoggle the healers have tried everything and even Grench hasn't been able to make a dent in the Enchantresses spell. I'm running out of ideas." Sarah moved to sit at the setae that had been her chair and her bed since Jareth's return and settled in for a restless sleep.

She began to hum a song from long ago and Hoggle blew some of the candles as he walked out of Jareth's chambers for the night. He left the door slightly ajar so he could hear Sarah's call more clearly into his room which was directly across the hall from Jareth's. As he lay down to sleep he heard Sarah singing the song instead of humming it and had to agree with the lyrics.

_People are strange when you're a stranger  
Faces look ugly when you're alone  
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted  
Streets are uneven when you're down_

When you're strange  
Faces come out of the rain  
When you're strange  
No one remembers your name  
When you're strange  
When you're strange  
When you're strange

People are strange when you're a stranger  
Faces look ugly when you're alone  
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted  
Streets are uneven when you're down

When you're strange  
Faces come out of the rain  
When you're strange  
No one remembers your name  
When you're strange  
When you're strange  
When you're strange

When you're strange  
Faces come out of the rain  
When you're strange  
No one remembers your name  
When you're strange  
When you're strange  
When you're strange

Sarah had switched from humming to singing the old Doors tune and about her fifth or sixth time she had fallen and hadn't noticed the effect the song had had on Jareth. A glowing mist marked a trail from the Labyrinth into Jareth's chambers through the slightly open window and had enveloped him. It had glowed several warm shades but it had culminated in a golden yellow. As the glow diminished Jareth began to stir and momentarily opened his eyes and then burrowed into his covers. He had had a long twisted dream and he would make the goblins pay in the morning but for now he needed more sleep.


	10. Ugly Truths

Little stressed about work tomorrow so avoiding my problems by writing, I hope you enjoy…Sincerely, Reven Eid

P.S. Extra Kudos to those who can figure out the 3 songs I used

"Now listen here you pompous arrogant jerk! All this happened 'cause you decided to go on a walk about so those who you left behind had to come up with something and that something is where we are now so deal with it!"

Sarah was screaming at the top of her lungs banging on Jareth's door. He had woken now four days ago and had banned everyone from his room except for the goblins that were required to draw his bath and help him dress. Sarah knew that Jareth still wasn't up to full strength yet. He could conjure up his crystal's and find out what was going around this kingdom but he couldn't transport or for that matter transform so he was stuck in his room and throwing a fit like a two year old child.

Meeps was running towards Sarah with the castle skeleton's keys. Jareth had barred any goblin from helping Sarah less they suffered a dunking in the bog of eternal stench and Sarah cared too much for any of them to suffer such a fate so here she was doing it the human way, trying to talk some sense into the pompous jerk.

After several unsuccessful tries Sarah was able to unlock Jareth's door. He was sitting in his bed and when he saw her enter he turned to look out the window and away from her. Sarah was sick of it, she needed to get back home and she needed Jareth to turn back enough time so she could go back before it was too late. His unwillingness to accept the facts that was now his life was going to have to stop soon.

"Everyone out and no matter what you hear no one is to enter until his highness and I are done." The goblins scurried out of the room and closed the door behind them. Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus all stood outside torn between intervening or not.

"Jareth, look at me." Sarah said in her softest and most level voice she could muster but she knew she was nearing the breaking point. Jareth refused to even acknowledge Sarah's presence. Sarah let out a frustrated growl and took of her shoes as she dove into Jareth's bed. He was startled by her actions and even more so when she sat next to him and grabbed his face to look at her. "Listen here you child!" Jareth pushed himself away from Sarah and landed in a heap on the floor, "How dare you!" Sarah stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, "Well guess what I dare. I dare plenty. When you left everyone here in a lurch and your kingdom on the verge of being taken over by a band of nomads your people did the only thing that they could think of and reached for someone who they knew would take care of them." Sarah walked away from Jareth and headed to his bedroom window and looked at the Labyrinth. "I dare plenty because while in your desire to forget whatever it was you were trying to forget you left everyone else vulnerable. Your subjects were scared and you were off somewhere doing who knows what. So now you are stuck with the results of your vanity. You're a king, act like it."

Sarah walked out of Jareth's room and left him standing next to his bed. Jareth walked towards the window and looked out at his kingdom. He could feel the differences that had taken place in his absence. The expansion of his kingdom and all his newest subjects, Sarah was right, enough of being the child and to act like the king he had always been.

Sarah was startled when she heard the multiple footfalls outside the library and more so when eight goblin soldiers entered the library and surrounded her. Hoggle walked in slowly after them, "His highness is requesting your presence in the throne room. He isn't given you a choice." Sarah nodded and picked up the documents she had been going over and let herself be escorted to the throne room. Upon entering Sarah saw Jareth sitting in his throne. He still was a bit pale for her taste but if he was out of his room and that was a step in the right direction in her book. Sarah walked towards the table on the left of the throne room and laid her papers upon it and then turned towards Jareth and curtsied, "Your Highness." Jareth waved for the soldiers to leave and Hoggle closed the door after they had left and stood with his back to the doors. When Sarah and Jareth had had their confrontation that morning Jareth had called upon Hoggle and asked him to explain to him Sarah's presence. Before Hoggle could begin Sir Didymus walked into the room and had confronted Jareth, "The Lady has given up everything to come to our aid when you abandoned us. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for the Lady and nothing that I would ever do for you again, my allegiance is hers now." With that Ludo and Didymus walked out of the castle to wait for Sarah and her orders. Jareth turned his deadly stare towards Hoggle, "Explain Higgle!"

So Hoggle told him everything from the endless party's his perceived isolation and love and his desire to forget about Sarah and how that was the entire enchantress needed to enter his life. How he told all this to Sarah and then told him how he was desperate when the nobles kept coming asking for Jareth and he was running out of excuses and when the open declaration of war arrived at their doorstep there was no choice. Everyone through their hand in with Sarah and her plans. Everyone had been desperate and scared but they all preferred to die trying something, anything than just be taken over by anybody. Sarah's gamble had worked and now his kingdom had doubled in size and he had more subjects to add to his kingdom. To top it all off the entire surrounding kingdom's were wanting to pay tribute to him and offering their daughters in order to form an allegiance to the most powerful kingdom, his all thanks to their savior, the Lady, Sarah.

Jareth had dismissed Hoggle after their long conversation. It was night once again but Jareth didn't want to go to sleep before he resolved this matter or put some semblance of order to this issue. He had dressed himself and had Hoggle help him walk to the throne room and then had Sarah brought to him.

"I have been told many things about you and what you have been doing in my absence." Sarah just stood and stared at Jareth, she was afraid of what he may say or do next but she would not let it show and simply nodded at his statement. "While I slept and my body tried to purge the enchantresses spells she had placed upon me I remember only bits of what you were telling me. Hoggle has filled in some gaps but there are still many things left for me to fully understand one of them being treaties that you have signed with not only my past but new subjects as well. As such tomorrow we shall begin discussing these matters first thing tomorrow morning in order to ensure a smooth transition from your command to my command. And afterwards I shall do ask you wish, return you to your family aboveground at a point in time before your absence is missed too much and to which it would make it impossible for you to return to your old life." Sarah let out a breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding. Had she heard right, Jareth would return her home and not only home but turn back time for her.

Sarah curtsied once more, "'Till morning your majesty." Jareth waved Sarah goodbye and Hoggle opened the throne room doors for her and they smiled to each other as she left. Hoggle closed the door after her and turned to Jareth, "Did she at any point ask about me or appear to be concerned for me?" Hoggle huffed and crossed his arms and then scratched behind his chin, how to answer such a complicated question, "She was. Don't knows that she'll admit it or knows it herself." Hoggle then walked up to Jareth and stood next to him and whispered to him, "If you wants hope forgets it and learn abouts her then decides if your memory is what you reallys love or her."

Hoggle stepped away and headed out of the throne room and the castle itself. He, Ludo and Didymus would come back tomorrow but from now until Sarah's departure they would sleep in Didymus hut located next to the bog.

The next morning found Sarah in the best mood she had been in days. She got herself together quickly and took with her every single piece of scroll, parchment, paper that would help Jareth learn what she had been up to. She left her journal behind because there were more question than answers in her journal. Questions she herself wasn't ready to ask out loud but, they didn't matter now. Sarah had hoped to be home in a week's time and well before the ball that they had been forced to agree to prove to the royals that Jareth was still in power.

Sarah entered the throne room and found Jareth seated at the strategy table going over documents already. "Sarah. Good morning, have you had breakfast yet." Sarah laid her load down and shook her head at Jareth's question, "Then by all means please eat and then we can begin." Sarah was about to protest but decided against it and accepted the food that Jareth had conjured at a new table he had also conjured up. As Sarah ate Jareth reviewed the items she had laid upon the table. He was especially interested in the map showing the new boundaries of his kingdom and the contracts that had been signed with his subjects granting them certain lands and freedoms. Before he had not really cared about those that dwelled in the Labyrinth each and every dweller was there seeking refugee and he had granted said refuge just to spite the pursuers and now each and every dweller was bound to him. His subjects had grown from simple goblins to the Fire Gangs, the Fairy's and the Stallions as Sarah called them.

He would allow those seeking it freedom from these contracts for he wanted no one bound to him but if what Hoggle said was true and his subjects now seemed happier then did he have a right to cancel the contracts. Sarah came towards him and took a seat next to Jareth, "What would you like to review first?"

As the hours progressed and the days passed by Jareth made some changes to Sarah and Hoggle decisions but majority he left intact. As he regained his physical strength and his magic came back at full power Sarah grew confident that everything would be okay for her friends, old and new.

The ball was only a day away and Sarah along with Jareth were deep in making last minute arrangements. This time no one would be staying at the castle and all those who attended would be gone long before the first rays of sunshine appeared on the horizon. All goblins were made aware that they were to accept nothing from any guest and that they themselves were not allowed to disappear anywhere with out a partner. Jareth was taking no risks with his guests. They hadn't heard from the enchantress in the days since Sarah and his subjects had freed him from her but that didn't mean she wouldn't show or make an attempt. She would be allowed entry and taken captive upon arriving at the ball personally by Sarah and Jareth. Jareth had initially not wanted Sarah to attend the ball but after discussing it with her, Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus it was decided that she was probably better protected if she was in the same room as him that tucked away in her room where no one would hear her if she was attacked.

The night of the event Sarah stared at herself in the full length mirror and was at a loss of words for what she saw. She had been in a sense mummified. Jareth had sent Grench along with several young goblins to help Sarah get ready for tonight's event. Sarah was grateful for the assistance and was about to protest but then Grench explained to her why they were really there. "There will be many individuals with power who are not shy about using it but they need to be touching you to make it work.. Gloves and long sleeves are not enough to protect you but these wraps will." So Grench had stood on a chair and had whispered her incantations as she wrapped Sarah in the linen wraps. From her fingertips to the base of her chin line. Sarah's hair had been braided tight and hidden beneath a small emerald green head dress to accentuate her eyes and the dress she would be wearing. The dress that Jareth had asked her to wear was of the richest green she had ever seen. Depending on how the light hit the dress it appeared emerald green, then just green and sometimes even black.

While in attendance with Jareth they would enter separately so no one would grow suspicious. She would mingle with the guests but avoid conversation and dancing all the while keeping an eye out for the enchantress.

The ball was still in full swing even after what Sarah felt was hours. She kept glancing at the doors waiting for the enchantress to show but sill nothing. Sarah grew exhausted and made her way towards one of the windows that faced the Labyrinth for a breath of fresh air. She noticed a full moon and began to tap her fingers on the window sill to a song she remembered from her parent's youth. She turned to look at the attendees and begun to hum to keep herself entertained and was interrupted by Jareth's approach. "What do you think?" Sarah didn't turn to look at Jareth but knew what he was really asking, "I don't think she's coming." Jareth nodded and held his arm out for Sarah to take. They descended the steps and took the center of the ball room to lead the last dance of the night.

Sarah had been trying to work up the courage in the last days to ask the question that had been nagging in the back of her mind, "Jareth what do you remember about her?" Jareth turned to look at Sarah, "Is that what you really want to know?" Sarah shook her head no and just listened to Jareth talk. "When she came she promised me to help me forget. Forget many things but mainly you." Sarah tried to let go of Jareth and walk away but he held her in an iron grip, "I think its time we had this conversation, don't you?" Sarah didn't answer and just stared at Jareth's lips. "You must understand that you were like a shadow in my life next to me with every step that I took. You were an enigma and as much as a tried to reason you away you were always in my thoughts in my dreams. She promised to ensure that you would be forever lost to me that you would no longer be buried deep in me and that I would no longer burn for you."

Sarah was absorbing all of Jareth's words and felt horrible at this confession. She had thought of Jareth from time to time but never as intensely as he had. He had been a youthful challenge but it seemed that those few hours she had spent in his presence made such an impression on him that he risked much to forget her and what he felt for her.

"I was a fool Sarah. I let her lie to me by taking this feeling I had for you and she used it to transform herself into a similar image of you. Mind you she wasn't an exact duplicate but there were enough physical similarities to trick my heart into going with her. I was a fool and I should have just ripped my heart out and not let her fool it into believing her words. But if the events of the last days have shown me something is that you are not who I remembered." Sarah looked up to meet Jareth's eyes. "You are a much stronger and better person than I remember and my feelings for you have calmed down you could say and I see you as an equal. Not someone for me to rule over but perhaps dare I say it, a friend?" Sarah smiled at Jareth, she had been afraid that he would say he loved her more than before. While she had feelings for Jareth she didn't think that they were what one would call love. "Yes Jareth, friends." Jareth let go of Sarah and bowed to her while she curtsied.

Jareth went to his throne and Sarah to the window once more, "Everyone! The ball is over, good night!" The goblins rushed room and started rushing all the guests out. Jareth heard some of the protest but paid no heed to them. After everyone had been loaded in their perspective carriages Hoggle came to the throne room, "Everyone's gone." Sarah stepped away from the window and approached Jareth, "Jareth, I want to go home. I feel so alone here even with my friends I miss my family." Jareth was about to protest but Sarah plowed through, "Jareth I deserve more than this. I'm lucky I know having been here once more is more than any one who could have hoped for but I want to go home, I feel like I'm living someone else's life and I know why you think that I'm better of here but I believe in you, you don't need me anymore, let me go home. I'm done, I've done what I set out to do, and it'll all be alright everyone even you will be alright now. I want to go home."

Jareth nodded, "Your right its time. Tomorrow after breakfast and after you've said goodbye to everyone I will send you home." Sarah couldn't help the tears that sprung from her eyes and she rushed Jareth and hugged him, "Thank you." Sarah stepped away and headed straight to her room to get ready to leave. She didn't know what being back home would bring but she was ready to go back.

The Enchantress hid in the shadows provided by the night. She had not attended the ball knowing it for the trap that it was. Her employer would be here the next morning and give Jareth and his precious Sarah a nasty surprise and she wouldn't miss it for the world.

Sarah awoke with the first rays of the sunrise with butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day, she was going home. She would miss her friends but she would still be in contact with them like before and Jareth and she had a friendship now, would it be more one day she didn't know but with him here and her there it was best left as it was.

Sarah walked to the throne room for one last breakfast meeting with Jareth and then she would go to say goodbye to her friends in the courtyard where Jareth would then transport her home.

As Sarah approached the throne room she heard glass breaking and screaming she started running and burst straight into a nightmare. Jareth was lying bleeding at the feet of his throne and nursing what appeared a broken wrist. Sarah couldn't stop herself and launched herself at the attacker screaming, "Hoggle! Didymus! Ludo! Help us!" Jareths attacker turned towards Sarah and Sarah froze, Sarah was staring at herself. The momentary lapse was all the attacker needed to launch Sarah against the now closed throne room doors and as Sarah fell she landed hard on her side knocking her shoulder out of its socket. Sarah screamed in pain and the attacker then grabbed Sarah by her good arm and launched her towards Jareth.

"Yes Sarah I am she who you wanted to meet last night. Not the Enchantress, she was merely the means to the end. That end being Jareth with me. Doing fool yourself into thinking I have lied to him for I am you." Sarah turned to look at Jareth to try to understand what was happening but he was just as confused as her. "Ooh that's right you don't remember do you. Ooh you poor baby well let me remind you when it was that you created me." Sarah shook her head to deny what she was saying, "No you lie I did no such thing." Sarah's doppelganger laughed a maniacal laugh and turned her cold eyes to her and Jareth, "Ooh but you did my dear. You did." You actually created me no more than what you would call eight months ago when you were at your graduation party."

Sarah's confusion was clearly written in her face, "Let me show you." The enchantress produced a hand held mirror and made it float towards Jareth and Sarah, "This was the night you threw caution to the wind and had a drink. Well you couldn't hold your liquor and so your friends put you in a bedroom and locked you in there to sleep your drunkenness away but instead you started to sing and I was born that night." Jareth and Sarah saw Sarah tumble out of bed towards the balcony doors and sit next to them and heard her singing.

Emptiness, you're the only one that responds

When everyone else leaves

The only one I can cry with

The only one who doesn't reproach me

And lets me cry until I am empty inside

Emptiness, I know that for a time

We were separated

And I broke the promise to not be unhappy

And now here I am once more crying

For having loved him so

Go find him wherever you may find him

And take him away from everyone

Take him from the hand and seal him up in his room

And take him wherever he wants to go until all he wants is to be torn apart

And make him feel what I am feeling right now that leaves me without the ability to breath

Emptiness emptiness emptiness

Do me a favor I beg of you

Make him feel what I feel

Emptiness emptiness emptiness

Do me a favor I beg of you

Let him know that I adore him

Emptiness

Emptiness in the dark of night

Or in the light of day

you tell me he won't return you give me no hope

but speak only the truth

Love him like no one has ever loved him

To the point that he want's to know nothing of his world

To the point that he doesn't recognize family

To the point that he can't fathom life without you

And for a mere kiss he will take all manner of scorn

And for him to dream while awake

And that his happiness lies in the crumbs of your affections

And that he thanks you on his knees crying

And then and only then

Let him know

That it was all because of me that you are there

That it was all because of me that he feels what he is now feeling

Emptiness emptiness emptiness

Do me a favor I beg of you

Make him feel what I feel

Emptiness emptiness emptiness

Do me a favor I beg of you

Let him know that I adore him

Emptiness

"So see Sarah this was all because of you and now its time for me to go back to where I belong since you have no more need for me." Sarah tried to scoot away from her doppelganger but then in a loud clap of thunder she was gone and a pain stronger than the one in her arm took residence in her heart and she knew the truth.

She had brought the destruction upon the Labrynith herself and all that Jareth had gone through had been to due to her ignorance and she couldn't help herself she began to cry. Cry big drops of despair knowing now that she had caused so much damage to her friends with her thoughtlessness.


	11. End

A

Confusion was a new feeling for Jareth. Last night Sarah had asked to go home but now she lay in his arms begging for his forgiveness. Begin for him to forgive her thoughtlessness and the harm she had caused everyone she loved. She now understood and had admitted to Jareth she had never forgotten him. That somewhere in the middle of it all between their last meeting and time she had grown to love him. That those thirteen hours had cemented him in her life more than words could describe.

He had gone through all the emotions. Anger at her thoughtless, joy at her admittance of her love for him and now he was at confusion for what was he to do. He knew had always known what she was to him and her staying was what he wanted but was it what she wanted. And what of this power he in good conscience could not let her leave the underground but if she refused to stay willing would his power be great enough to hold her or worse would he be forced to imprison her for his kingdoms and subjects safety.

Sarah had finally cried herself to sleep so he let her rest in her bed chamber. When he approached the throne room Hoggle and Didymus were cleaning the mess. "Leave it Didymus. Go back to the Bog and take Hoggle with you." Didymus bowed and left knowing full well what that tone meant. Hoggle paid Jareth no mind and followed Didymus out. Jareth had to think.

Sarah awoke well into the night and went out seeking Jareth. She knew the only place he felt in control was the throne room and she was right. There he stood looking out the window but turned immediately when she entered. "Jareth?" Jareth held out his hand to her and she took it without question. He enfolded her into his arms and she accepted his warmth. "What do we do now Sarah?" Sarah looked up to him, "What do you mean?" Jareth walked away from her and towards his throne, "I now know the truth so where does that leave your request to leave. Do you still wish to go home or would staying with me now be enough for you?"

Sarah turned away from Jareth and looked out the window and surveyed the Labyrinth. "Yesterday, I didn't know I had been missing part of myself but today. Now that I am whole I know that I would rather be no where else if not by your side, if you'll have me and forgive me for what I have put you through." Jareth had to grab a hold of the throne's backing, what he had so fervently hoped for had come true. Sarah was willing to stay and once more had admitted her feelings for him but would that be enough, he needed to know. "And how do I know that tomorrow you will not awaken and change your mind once more?" Sarah turned from the window and walked towards Jareth and stepped in front of him as best she could. "Because love is patient and kind. Love protects, hopes, perseveres and what we have has been all those and more. So I ask you for the first time are you willing to go into that future with me?"

And so they both hoped that this trust they were placing in each other along with their love would grow and heal all their past wounds, and it did.


End file.
